Pets are an inseparable part of people’s lives in the modern world. About 65 percent of US households have at least one pet. On a psychological level, pet companionship can bring better psychological wellbeing; on a biological level, our furry friends can boost human immunity.
According to a report in Psychology Today, a review carried out by researchers from the UK’s University of Manchester found that the companionship of pets can result in better psychological wellbeing for people with mental health conditions. The diabetes research center of the University of Toronto’s Mount Sinai Hospital analyzed data from over 3 million people, demonstrating a 24 percent reduction in risk of death within 10 years for dog owners.
Experts say that dogs produce significantly more of the immunoglobulin A antibody in their saliva, which fights antigens, when stroked. Pets can also help people respond better to stress, and this in turn boosts the immune system. This is because pets provide companionship and encourage people to make more social connections with others, helping alleviate stress in the process. After people become more emotionally stable, their immune system becomes more robust.
Photo: Lee Hui-chou, Liberty Times 照片：自由時報記者李惠洲
There is a strong connection between the microbes on pets’ and people’s bodies and their immune activity. Many scientists say that microbes can directly influence one’s immune system, and these research results indicate that pets’ microbes can also directly influence the health and immunity of the human body.
(Translated by Julian Clegg, Taipei Times)
現代人的生活和寵物密不可分，在美國有百分之六十五左右的家庭裡，至少有一個成員為寵物。在心理層面上，寵物的陪伴能帶來更好的心理健康，而在生理上，這些毛小孩更能使人體的免疫力提升。
Photo: Hung Jui-chin, Liberty Times 照片：自由時報記者洪瑞琴
據《今日心理學》報導，英國曼徹斯特大學曾研究指出，對患有精神疾病的人來說，寵物的陪伴能帶來更好的心理健康。而多倫多大學西奈山醫學院糖尿病研究中心也取樣了超過三百萬人的數據，研究顯示，養狗的人，十年內的死亡機率降低了百分之二十四。
專家表示，以狗為例，人在撫摸狗之後，唾液中的「免疫球蛋白Ａ」抗體顯著增加，更有效抵擋病源入侵，此外，寵物對人體免疫力的最大影響之一為壓力反應，寵物能透過陪伴和促進與他人的社交聯繫來幫助減輕壓力，心理狀態穩定後，連帶的免疫系統也能更加茁壯。
事實上，寵物及人體身上的微生物和自身的免疫行為之間有著強大的連結，許多科學家皆表明微生物會直接影響免疫系統，因此在這樣的研究結果下，寵物的微生物也會直接影響人體的健康和免疫力。
（自由時報）
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