Hygiene hypothesis and the increasing incidence of allergic diseases in the children and adolescent population
Abstract
Hygiene hypothesis was an important contribution to understanding the causes of the increasing incidence of allergic, atopic and other immunopathological conditions in the children population and, later increased incidence of non-communicable disease (e.g. Type 2 diabetes, cardiovascular and autoimmune diseases) in adulthood.
Key risk factors relating to the "hygiene hypothesis" and the incidence immunopathological conditions in the children population were: lack of sufficient/adequate exposure to antigens in the environment, "cold chain hypothesis", infectious agents in the context of antibiotics overuse, urban lifestyle/education possible proportion of excessively meticulous daily care for children and a high standard of hygiene and household, protective factors such as breastfeeding, family size and sibling relationships in a larger family. The literature generally states that the reduced exposure to microbial antigens in children probably plays an important role in the growth of incidence of allergies, and immunopathological diseases in child and adolescent population.
The reliable supportive assistance data for each of these above mentioned factors vary considerably.