Hygiene hypothesis challenged - (Oct/14/2012 )

The Hygiene Hypothesis and its implications for home hygiene, lifestyle and public health


authors challenge validity of hygiene hypothesis as commonly considered

http://www.ifh-homeh...a2?OpenDocument

Huh, I didn't think this was anything new. I am sure I heard about that hypothesis more than 5 years ago.

There is also the addition to this hypothesis that loss of intestinal parasites such as the pinworms (treated for in western world) play a role in this rise in allergic type responses. The hypothesis doesn't suggest why different allergic syndromes are more common in different parts of the world though.

Thr hypothesis is about 20 years old. This paper challenges the validity of the hypothesis.

I was meaning that the challenge to the hygiene hypothesis isn't new to me, though I didn't put it very well in my other post. I do also have to say that this challenge is just a variant of the hygiene hypothesis in my opinion, much like the intestinal parasite theory I mentioned in my other post.

It's more a formal update of the original hypothesis formulation than something really new
http://www.news-medical.net/news/20121003/e28098Hygiene-hypothesise28099-updated-to-e28098Old-Friendse28099-hypothesis.aspx

Thanks bob - I see. I think most microbiologists considered the hypothesis weak but few published in opposition. The support was largely from the medical community supported by alot of poor-designed studies that usually looked at asthma levels in fram kids vs. city kids.