A reformulation of the hygiene hypothesis: maternal infectious diseases confer protection against asthma in the infant

Lars-Georg Hersoug

doi:10.1016/j.mehy.2006.03.026

A reformulation of the hygiene hypothesis: maternal infectious diseases confer protection against asthma in the infant

Lars-Georg Hersoug

Afdeling for Miljø og Sundhed

7 Citationer (Scopus)

Abstract

Epidemiological studies have shown an inverse relationship between allergic respiratory diseases and the number of siblings. It was hypothesized that the lower prevalence of allergic respiratory diseases in large sibships was due to cross-infections between siblings. According to this hygiene hypothesis the increase in the prevalence of atopic diseases is caused by a decrease in the exposure to infections. It was believed that early infections were beneficial for health because of their contribution to the maturation of the immune system. However, in this interpretation a possible protective influence of the mother was overlooked. A new hypothesis is therefore proposed. Maternal exposure to infections induces immunological memory, which protects her children against allergic respiratory diseases.

Originalsprog	Engelsk
Tidsskrift	Medical Hypotheses
Vol/bind	67
Udgave nummer	4
Sider (fra-til)	717-20
Antal sider	4
ISSN	0306-9877
DOI	https://doi.org/10.1016/j.mehy.2006.03.026
Status	Udgivet - 2006

FN’s Verdensmål

Dette resultat bidrager til følgende verdensmål

Adgang til dokumentet

10.1016/j.mehy.2006.03.026

Citationsformater

@article{61c65f9df8184527840631c990084aae,

title = "A reformulation of the hygiene hypothesis: maternal infectious diseases confer protection against asthma in the infant",

abstract = "Epidemiological studies have shown an inverse relationship between allergic respiratory diseases and the number of siblings. It was hypothesized that the lower prevalence of allergic respiratory diseases in large sibships was due to cross-infections between siblings. According to this hygiene hypothesis the increase in the prevalence of atopic diseases is caused by a decrease in the exposure to infections. It was believed that early infections were beneficial for health because of their contribution to the maturation of the immune system. However, in this interpretation a possible protective influence of the mother was overlooked. A new hypothesis is therefore proposed. Maternal exposure to infections induces immunological memory, which protects her children against allergic respiratory diseases.",

keywords = "Asthma, Communicable Diseases, Female, Humans, Hygiene, Immunity, Maternally-Acquired, Infant, Newborn, Models, Immunological, Pregnancy, Pregnancy Complications, Infectious",

author = "Lars-Georg Hersoug",

year = "2006",

doi = "10.1016/j.mehy.2006.03.026",

language = "English",

volume = "67",

pages = "717--20",

journal = "Medical Hypotheses",

issn = "0306-9877",

publisher = "Churchill Livingstone",

number = "4",

}

TY - JOUR

T1 - A reformulation of the hygiene hypothesis

T2 - maternal infectious diseases confer protection against asthma in the infant

AU - Hersoug, Lars-Georg

PY - 2006

Y1 - 2006

N2 - Epidemiological studies have shown an inverse relationship between allergic respiratory diseases and the number of siblings. It was hypothesized that the lower prevalence of allergic respiratory diseases in large sibships was due to cross-infections between siblings. According to this hygiene hypothesis the increase in the prevalence of atopic diseases is caused by a decrease in the exposure to infections. It was believed that early infections were beneficial for health because of their contribution to the maturation of the immune system. However, in this interpretation a possible protective influence of the mother was overlooked. A new hypothesis is therefore proposed. Maternal exposure to infections induces immunological memory, which protects her children against allergic respiratory diseases.

AB - Epidemiological studies have shown an inverse relationship between allergic respiratory diseases and the number of siblings. It was hypothesized that the lower prevalence of allergic respiratory diseases in large sibships was due to cross-infections between siblings. According to this hygiene hypothesis the increase in the prevalence of atopic diseases is caused by a decrease in the exposure to infections. It was believed that early infections were beneficial for health because of their contribution to the maturation of the immune system. However, in this interpretation a possible protective influence of the mother was overlooked. A new hypothesis is therefore proposed. Maternal exposure to infections induces immunological memory, which protects her children against allergic respiratory diseases.

KW - Asthma

KW - Communicable Diseases

KW - Female

KW - Humans

KW - Hygiene

KW - Immunity, Maternally-Acquired

KW - Infant, Newborn

KW - Models, Immunological

KW - Pregnancy

KW - Pregnancy Complications, Infectious

U2 - 10.1016/j.mehy.2006.03.026

DO - 10.1016/j.mehy.2006.03.026

M3 - Journal article

C2 - 16716534

SN - 0306-9877

VL - 67

SP - 717

EP - 720

JO - Medical Hypotheses

JF - Medical Hypotheses

IS - 4

ER -

A reformulation of the hygiene hypothesis: maternal infectious diseases confer protection against asthma in the infant

Abstract

FN’s Verdensmål

Adgang til dokumentet

Fingeraftryk

Citationsformater