Do you think that because we are so clean that when some bacteria does sometimes get into our bodies we don\’t know

Question: Do you think that because we are so clean that when some bacteria does sometimes get into our bodies we don\'t know how to cope?

Asked by daniels10 to Sarah, Panos, Mark, MarkF on 18 Jun 2010 in Categories: General.
- Panos Soultanas answered on 18 Jun 2010:
  
  No not really. Our immune systems are well adapted to cope with most foreign invaders. There is no need to be paranoid about being extra clean. it does not make much of a difference assuming that one has just normal hygiene habits.
- Sarah Burl answered on 18 Jun 2010:
  
  This can be the case at times.
- Mark Fogg answered on 18 Jun 2010:
  
  Harmless bacteria are in us and on us all the time, it’s only if we catch bad bacteria that we get sick. Our body knows how to cope with the bad bugs, but it sometimes needs a help from medicines.
  If we’re too clean when we’re really young and our bodies are developing, our immune system can get a bit confused.It sees harmless things like dust and pollen as bad. That’s what allergies are, a slightly confused immune system.
- Mark Travis answered on 18 Jun 2010:
  
  Very good question- the theory is not that we don’t know how to cope, but that our immune systems (if we are kept too clean) reacts in an inappropriate manner. This is known as the hygeine hypothesis….. if we are too clean during childhood, our immune system can over-reavct to things and we are more prediposed to allergey and autoimmune disease (like inflammatory bowel disease and diabetes). So, being too clean may hav e harmful effects on us, but we need more research to figure this out.

Question: Do you think that because we are so clean that when some bacteria does sometimes get into our bodies we don\'t know how to cope?

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