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JACI Highlights - November 2006
Arbes et al - Oral pathogens and allergic disease: Results from the Third National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey
In the November 2006 issue of the Journal of Allergy and Clinical Immunology, Arbes and colleagues evaluated the association between asthma, wheeze, and hay fever and antibodies to two oral bacteria associated with periodontal disease. The Hygiene Hypothesis suggests that fewer opportunities for infection have led to increases in the prevalence of asthma and other allergic diseases in the United States and other industrialized countries. Studies applying this hypothesis have shown that gut microflora plays a role in the causes of allergy and asthma. The authors applied this theory to oral bacteria, suggesting that the bacteria found in the mouth may also play a role in the development of allergic diseases. They found that higher concentrations of antibodies to two oral bacteria were associated with a lower prevalence of asthma, wheeze, and hay fever. More research is needed to clarify the potential roles of oral bacteria in the development of allergic diseases.
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