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JACI Highlights - May 2006
Schaub et al – The many faces of the hygiene hypothesis
In recent years, widespread attention has been given to the advancement of one field in allergy research that investigates the potential link between exposure to microbial sources and the development of allergic illnesses. The “hygiene hypothesis” is the theory attempting to catch the various elements of this complex relation. Over the last years new angles and aspects of the hypothesis have been introduced. Three major tracks have developed exploring the role of overt viral and bacterial infections; the significance of environmental exposure to microbial compounds; and the effect of both on underlying responses of the innate and adaptive immunity. A truly unifying concept has not yet emerged, but various pieces of a complex interplay between immune responses of the host, characteristics of the invading microorganism, the level and variety of the environmental exposure, and the interactions between a genetic background and a range of exposures becomes apparent. Schaub et al discuss these aspects and implications of the “hygiene hypothesis” in the May 2006 issue of the Journal of Allergy and Clinical Immunology. The above mentioned influences are discussed as determinants for a number of complex allergic illnesses, attempting to pay attention to the importance of different phenotypes, namely of the asthma syndrome. Even if practical implications today cannot directly be deduced from these findings, there is great potential for the development of novel preventive and therapeutic strategies in the future.
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