Hygiene Hypothesis Immunity

Comments focus on the hygiene hypothesis and how lack of pathogen exposure from hygiene, isolation, or modern living may weaken immune systems and increase risks of autoimmune diseases or poor responses to infections.

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#6079
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Keywords

MS EBV www.ncbi nlm.nih PMC2841828 PSA EVERYWHERE google.com PMC6334604 COVID immune immunity sick exposure response body disease diseases stronger rhetorical

Sample Comments

mewpmewp2 Dec 26, 2023 View on HN

You mean in terms of immune system not having been exposed to enough pathogens?

rvnx May 15, 2021 View on HN

Could it be because the immune system is busy with something else than fighting harmless agents ?

taneq Mar 18, 2018 View on HN

Sort of like exposure to pathogens / parasites can curb autoimmune diseases?

zkhalique Oct 17, 2015 View on HN

This ia a bit like making sure you don't get sick until your 20s and not letting your immune system develop robust responses to disease agents.

pmalynin Aug 29, 2014 View on HN

Frankly my point was more about the immune system.

w-j-w Dec 12, 2020 View on HN

You can't spread a disease if your immune system kills it on contact.

pertymcpert Feb 2, 2020 View on HN

What breaks their immune systems?

abstractspoon Oct 13, 2025 View on HN

Isn't that what my immune system is for?

im3w1l Apr 27, 2023 View on HN

This sounds like it would be very stressful on the immune system.

DANmode Dec 16, 2025 View on HN

PSA: healthy immune system humans are vastly over counted.