The hygiene hypothesis revisited: role of materno-fetal interactions

For 20 years, the hygiene hypothesis has dominated attempts to explain the increasing prevalence of allergic disease. A causal link between maternal innate immu

Authors:
Thornton CA, Macfarlane TV, Holt PG

Authors notes:
Current Allergy and Asthma Reports 2010;10:444-52

Keywords:
hygiene hypothesis revisited, role of materno-fetal interactions

Abstract:
For 20 years, the hygiene hypothesis has dominated attempts to explain the increasing prevalence of allergic disease. A causal link between maternal innate immune response during pregnancy and disease protection in the offspring was recently demonstrated.