Hygiene Hypothesis: Explaining the Increase in Autoimmune Disorders

 
Modern medicine has proved miraculous in its ability to prevent disease and increase the average life expectancy. However, the decrease in preventable disease has been correlated to an increase in autoimmune disorders. The most probable mechanism for explaining this trend is the hygiene hypothesis. The hygiene hypothesis stipulates that increased standard of living, meaning better hygiene and modern medicine, leads to a decreased exposure to microorganisms which in turn causes autoimmune disorders from diminished natural tolerance. Published online by the Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press, a study by Bach and Chatenoud provides evidence to corroborate the hygiene hypothesis via incidence of diabetes in mice living in varied sanitation conditions. The purpose of the experiment was to understand the protective mechanisms underlying infectious disease and thereby deduce a potential therapy for preventing autoimmune disorders.