Ask any doctor for the most important medical advances of the
past century and among the answers will be public health
victories such as indoor plumbing and improved sanitation. We've
all enlisted in the war against germs, brandishing disinfectant
sprays and antibacterial soaps. But some specialists are
beginning to think that our squeaky-clean lifestyle may be
breeding an alarming increase in the number of children with
allergies. "It may be that exposure to bacteria and other
infectious agents early in life is a good thing," suggests
Robert A. Wood, M.D., an associate professor of pediatrics at
the Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine in Baltimore.
"It's possible that it focuses your immune system on fighting
microbes and directs it away from mounting allergic attacks
against harmless pollens and other environmental debris." This
theory, known among scientists as the Hygiene Hypothesis, is
revolutionizing the world of allergy research. It may explain
why respiratory allergies are nearing epidemic lev