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THE PANDEMIC HAS BROUGHT EXCESSIVE HYGIENE INTO OUR LIVES… IS THIS ALWAYS A GOOD THING?
While the world has long been grappling with the Covid-19 pandemic, many people have become accustomed to living with long quarantines and physical distancing. Decontamination agents and masks were among our must-haves during this time. So how will these lifestyle changes affect us and our children health in Turkey.
Parents often believe that the environment in which their child lives should be as clean as possible. But for a child’s immune system to develop, he needs to be exposed to microbes. When the baby is in the womb, it is protected by its mother’s immune system. And when they are born, they need to develop their own immune system. And this happens through exposure to microbes.
Research shows that children who grow up in a very clean environment are actually more likely to develop hay fever, asthma and allergies. Experts also explain this situation as the ‘hygiene hypothesis’.
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WHAT IS THE HYGIENE HYPOTHESIS?
The hygiene hypothesis was first proposed in the late 1980s by a professor of epidemiology at the British Medical Journal. He was introduced suggested that children growing up in larger families, growing up in the countryside, have fewer allergies due to exposure to various bacteria. In other words, providing a sterile environment during the growth of children may not help them much in terms of developing a healthy immune system. Of course, this does not mean something like stopping bathing to train the immune system.
In the late 1990s, a health researcher, compared the rates of allergies and asthma in East Germany and West Germany. While he thought fewer cases would occur in children raised in more sterile environments, his research found the opposite. Children in polluted areas of Eastern Germany had lower rates of allergic reactions and fewer cases of asthma than children in Western Germany.
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JUST LIKE A BODYBUILDER
Experts liken this to the training of a bodybuilder. In order for the bodybuilder to be able to lift heavy objects, he needs to train his muscle. A person who has never trained can also not lift a weight when he wants to. It is believed that the same applies to the immune system.
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IT IS IMPORTANT TO FIND PROPER HYGIENE IN PREVENTING DISEASES
Due to Covid-19, it is absolutely important to disinfect hands and keep them clean in crowded environments or in a hospital environment. Applying the same disinfectant routinely at home can damage the normal bacteria living on the skin. When you have a wound on your hand, clean it and sterilize it. However, cleaning with regular soap may be enough when your children come home. The important thing in the context of trying to prevent infectious diseases is to implement proper hygiene.
Some people are worried that with excessive hygiene during the coronavirus period, our immune systems will forget how to fight disease-causing agents. Good germs are the best defense against bad germs, but the pandemic poses some difficulties in this regard.
How does excessive hygiene affect the occurrence of allergies, especially in children, but also in adults?
What should be the way to ensure both hygiene and protect against asthma and allergies during the coronavirus period?
President of the Allergy and Asthma Association Prof. Dr. and Child Immunology and Allergy Diseases Specialist Prof. Dr. answers our questions…
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THERE IS A LINK BETWEEN ALLERGIES AND EXCESSIVE DECONTAMINATION
He said that we will provide protection from infectious diseases thanks to the cleanliness and hygiene that we do with modern methods, and that we can get rid of not only the coronavirus but also many infectious diseases thanks to a quality cleaning. Dr. “But at the same time, we know that allergies and other chronic diseases are on the rise in the world. Although there is a lot of scientific evidence that there is a connection between these diseases and excessive decontamination, there are still many unexplained points. Because it is quite difficult to determine the extent of cleanliness, and there is no direct measurement method.” he said, and added:
“Many studies on the immune system, allergies and autoimmune diseases show that these diseases are less common in developing countries and countries that have not broken away from the traditional way of life. Living in a traditional style and in intensive contact with the soil contributes to the diversity of microbes in the body by providing intensive contact with microbes that are not causative agents of the disease. This applies to allergic diseases and asthma”
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EXPOSURE TO MICROBES IS NECESSARY FOR THE IMMUNE SYSTEM TO DEVELOP
Prof. Doctor, Dirt, bacteria and other germs and protect our body, our immune system will distinguish friend and foe a lot of reasons not to get the education that would be saying, this condition is caused by the body’s immune system attacking itself, in the case of an allergy or autoimmune diseases, the immune system is a common substance such as pollen or animal dander can cause you to overreact to that, he stressed.
“Parents often believe that the environment in which their child lives should be as clean as possible, is the best way to do this. But for a child’s immune system to develop, he needs to be exposed to microbes. When the baby is in the womb, it is protected by its mother’s immune system. When children are born, they have to develop their own immune system. This is done through exposure to germs so that we can train our immune system to recognize them. It has been found by research that children who grow up in a very clean environment are more likely to develop hay fever, asthma and allergies. Excessive use of cleaning materials can also trigger allergic reactions in adults, especially if it is harsh chemicals and odors.”
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THE ROLE OF ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT IN ALLERGIES IS GREAT
Expressing that the interaction of genes and the environment is very important in the occurrence of allergic diseases, Prof. Dr. “Asthma and allergic diseases do not develop by the effect of a single gene, but by the effect of many genes that have been detected in recent years. These genes are in constant interaction with the environment in which they are located from the moment of the womb. It is important to have a family history of allergic diseases. If the mother, father or brother has been diagnosed with an allergic disease, it indicates that the person is at high risk in this direction.” he said and spoke about the effects of the apithelial barrier hypothesis, which has just been put forward on the subject.
“Allergic diseases and asthma have been blamed as much on environmental influences as genes for their rapid increase both in our world and in our country in recent years. One of them is a decrease in the diversity of microbes in accordance with the hygiene hypothesis, the other is the epithelial barrier hypothesis. According to this hypothesis, adverse environmental conditions such as indoor and outdoor air pollution, disinfectants, detergents, harmful nutrients that damage the respiratory and digestive epithelium in particular lead to the deterioration of these barriers and increase their permeability. Thus, it affects many molecules involved in immunity, causing allergic, autoimmune or other diseases in which immunity plays a role.”
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SPRAYED DISINFECTANTS CAN TRIGGER ALLERGIC SYMPTOMS
Despite all this, we have to be sensitive to the question of what to do both to avoid allergies and to ensure hygiene during the coronavirus period, we asked Prof. Dr…
Emphasizing the classic infection rules should be strictly applied to protect against coronavirus,“Keeping exposed parts of the body and especially hands clean, frequent washing and disinfecting as necessary is very important to reduce contagiousness. But when carrying out these washes at home and at school, substances and preservatives that can irritate the skin, disinfectants containing odorous chemicals can destroy the skin and trigger allergic reactions. Unfortunately, various antimicrobial substances sprayed in schools and indoor areas such as hairdressers to disinfect the environment also enter our body through the respiratory tract and trigger the symptoms of patients with asthma and allergic rhinitis by both disrupting and irritating the barrier.” he used his statements.
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THE DIVERSITY OF MICROBES HAS A POSITIVE EFFECT
There are theories that children living in the village have less allergic reactions than children living in the city. And is this true?
Allergic diseases are much less common in people who live on farms, take care of cattle, and work in and out of barns frequently, Prof. Dr. “Allergic diseases are less common in the future in children who work intensively on the farm while their mother is pregnant. Conversely, in those who live in large cities, these rates are much higher. It is known that people living in villages are exposed to many more germs than the skin of their hands and feet and the respiratory tract. This variety of microbes can positively affect the immune system, reducing the risk of allergic diseases. In particular, we should make our children more in touch with nature.” said.
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MANY OF THEM LAST A LIFETIME
Although some allergies pass by themselves, many tend to persist for life, Turkish Prof. Dr. “Allergies limit both daily activities and cause concentration problems. This situation can also negatively affect school success, especially in children. When allergies are severe, a picture called anaphylaxis, that is, an allergic shock, may occur. Allergic shock is an extremely serious and life-threatening condition. It can also cause death in cases where there is no immediate medical intervention.” said.
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Turkey's world-renowned organ transplant specialist. Dr. Demirbaş has 104 international publications and 102 national publications.
Physician's Resume:
Born on August 7, 1963 in Çorum, Prof. Dr. Alper Demirbaş has been continuing his work as the President of MedicalPark Antalya Hospital Organ Transplantation Center since 2008.
Prof. who performed the first tissue incompatible kidney transplant in Turkey, the first blood type incompatible kidney transplant, the first kidney-pancreas transplant program and the first cadaveric donor and live donor liver transplant in Antalya. Dr. As of August 2016, Alper Demirbaş has performed 4900 kidney transplants, 500 liver transplants and 95 pancreas transplants.
In addition to being the chairman of 6 national congresses, he has also been an invited speaker at 12 international and 65 national scientific congresses. Dr. Alper Demirbaş was married and the father of 1 girl and 1 boy.
Awards:
Eczacibasi Medical Award of 2002, Akdeniz University Service Award of 2005, Izder Medical Man of the Year Award of 2006, BÖHAK Medical Man of the Year Award of 2007, Sabah Mediterranean Newspaper Scientist of the Year Award of 2007, ANTIKAD Scientist of the Year Award of 2009, Social Ethics Association Award of 2010, Işık University Medical Man of the Year Award of 2015, VTV Antalya's Brand Value Award of 2015.
Certificates:
Doctor of Medicine Degree Hacettepe University Faculty of Medicine Ankara, General Surgeon Ministry of Health Turkey EKFMG (0-477-343-8), University of Miami School of Medicine Member of Multiple Organ Transplant, ASTS Multiorgan Transplant Scholarship. Lecturer at Kyoto University. Lecturer at University of Essen, Research assistant at the University of Cambridge .
Professional Members:
American Society of Transplant Surgeons, American Transplantation Society Nominated, Middle East and Southern Africa Council Transplantation Society 2007, International Liver Transplantation Association, Turkish Transplantation Association, Turkish Society of Surgery, Turkish Hepatobiliary Surgery Association.
Disclaimer:
Our website contents consist of articles approved by our Web and Medical Editorial Board with the contributions of our physicians. Our contents are prepared only for informational purposes for public benefit. Be sure to consult your doctor for diagnosis and treatment.