Publication at First Faculty of Medicine |
2009
Abstract
The Hygiene hypothesis proposes an explanation for the rising prevalence of allergic diseases through improved care early in life.Reduced exposure to infectious agents can deprive the immune system of maturation and support the survival of the fetal-typeTh1/Th2 ratio. In the EPSLAC study, children aged 3 years were divided into3 groups according to absence / presebce of allergic diseases( atopy, urtica. hay fever, asthma, others): non-allergic(NA), monoallergic (A1), polyallergic (A2+). possible risk factors were evaluated : living in a large family, brest feeding, exposure to smoking, postnatal morbidity, vaccination, contact with animals, attending day care.
Statistical significance was tested by the SPSS programme.