HUNDREDS of babies in Southampton will be selected to take part in a historic medical trial to vaccinate against asthma and allergies over the next 12 months.

Professor John Warner and his colleagues will recruit up to 400 babies through the city's Princess Anne maternity hospital to receive the tuberculosis-style inoculations.

The medics say the bacteria jabs will "switch off" allergic responses in the new-born babies, protecting them against all allergies, including asthma.

The jabs are expected to dramatically cut the number of asthma sufferers across the world over the next decade.

The trial was announced at a press conference in the Quays swimming and diving complex to promote today's World Asthma Day.

Professor Warner is backing Southampton's Air Action Appeal to build a £1 million asthma and allergy resource centre in the city.

The Quays already hosts an asthma and allergy clinic, organised by the appeal team every Thursday offering advice and information to city families.

Professor Warner said: "We will start by looking at between 300-400 babies who are at a high risk of inheriting allergies from their parents. We will then follow their progress for around five years.

"Then we will expand the trial to include a wider selection of the population, involving up to 3,000 babies."

For more information about the Air Action Appeal call 023 8077 1234 or 8038 8900.

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