Hygiene Hypothesis: Germs, dirt good for your kids’ immune system

Admin Mar 27, 2012 at 08:15 am

Hygiene hypothesis is the concept of exposing infants to germs in order to build up immunity. Researchers of Brigham and Women’s Hospital (BWH) have come up with evidence supporting the hygiene hypothesis for the first time.

They studied the immune system of ‘germ-free mice’ and compared them to mice living in a normal environment with microbes. They found that ‘germ-free mice’ had exaggerated inflammation of the lungs and colon resembling asthma and colitis, respectively, caused by the hyperactivity of a unique class of T cells (immune cells).

These immune cells had been previously linked to these disorders in both mice and humans, said a university statement.

Evidence is growing that dirt and germs protect against disease — and that our indoor-based, ultra-clean lifestyles are bad for our health. It is said that without exposure to dirt and germs early in life, the immune system doesn’t learn how to control its reaction to everyday invaders such as dust and pollen. This can lead to it mis-firing later in life, leading to allergies and other illnesses, the Daily Mail reported Friday. Taking course after course of antibiotics may exacerbate the problem. The latest evidence comes from Harvard Medical School researchers who studied germ-free mice, bred in a bubble and kept in sterile cages and fed sterile food.

The lungs and bowels of the germ-free mice contained extra-large numbers of a type of immune cell blamed for asthma and bowel problems. And when they developed asthma or bowel condition colitis, it was much more severe than usual. Researchers looked at what happened when the rodents were taken out of their sterile environment and put in bug-ridden cages with normal mice. The mice that were moved as adults did not become any less susceptible to disease. But the germ-free creatures moved and exposed to dirt and bugs in the first weeks of life became no sicker than those reared normally, the journal Science reports.

Source: IANS

Tags: Immunity Health Kids Cleaning Hygiene Hypothesis

AK

Hygeine hypothesis is not new… It is in place since 1989. Lot of studies were already published on this topic. Lots of pro’s and con’s for this hypothesis. I dont understand why this is making a news today…………….
Sagar Gupta

Ha Ha, English guys think that Indians are fools, cheap, poor etc etc. This is what we got from our tradition and it really works. No worries i am happy that these guys understood the reality
Vivekanand

1. The would say, use urea and other chemicals to protect crops and then introduce Organic fodds for not having used chemicls.
2. They would introduce Satelite conections with Boosters,to start off and then introudce individual boosters/recievers at a Higher price.
3. The would shoo away all helathy habits passed on from our ancient heritage and then research for nothing.

Do we even realize this insanity of not respectng our ancestoral intelligence,. I dont deny they did not have cars or modeern Tablets,. They were healthier in all aspects of life, including money/transactions.
Sooner or later, we will realize all the GDP saga is bullshit and we need to get back actual worthy transaction, which is inevitably closer to Barter not barter exactly, that is electronic points for every entitiy.

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