You are on page 1of 6

4/4/2014

Childhood Asthma
Is asthma an auto-immune related
response due to a lack of exposure to
micro-organisms?
Will Penninger
PED research paper
Cleanliness is next to godliness; a commonly used phrase in the first world, but is it
true? Is the absence of micro-bacteria and allergens truly a heavenly state, and what happens
as a result of this lack in exposure to everyday micro-organisms? More importantly, what
impact does this have on the children of the world? Allergic disease is more common in the
children of developed, or first world, countries than it is in developing countries (J.B. Cookson
87), and the numbers of diagnosed cases of allergic disease are increasing steadily. However, it
is a worldwide epidemic. Asthma is responsible for over 30% of pediatric hospitalizations
worldwide (African Journal of Respiratory Medicine 2014) due to the inflammation of air ways
and its potential to disable respiration. Does this sought after state of cleanliness and lack of
exposure enable the auto-immune response of asthma in children?
Asthma is defined as a chronic, or repeated, inflammation of ones airways (Barr
Laboratory 2003). This inflammation can cause or be a result of bronchitis. Bronchitis is the
result of a respiratory infection of the bronchial tubes. These tubes are responsible for
removing oxygen from within the air inside the lung and combining it with passing blood that
then flows through the heart before entering the rest of the circulatory system to travel
throughout the body. Symptoms of asthma include, but are not limited to, wheezing or
coughing, more common before rest or after waking. This is usually due to a hyper
responsiveness of the air ways caused by irritation, inflammation, or obstruction. The possible
causes of these obstructions or irritations are endless when discussing the possibility of pollen-
type allergens or air-borne bacteria stimulants. This inflammation can typically be treated with
a corticosteroid to stop the hyper responsive immune system acting rashly to sometimes minor
irritation (F.E. Hargreave & P. Nair 2009).
The simple fact that most allergic or asthmatic attacks can be treated by a mere immune
suppression agent speaks loudly about the nature of the attacking beast. By itself, the molecule
can do no harm. The body which identifies it as harmful or strange is what does the damage.
To make matters even stranger, the molecule that can generate a deathly allergic response to
one, has little to no ill-effect on another individual. This is due to heredity and exposure. The
bodys immune system has to be stimulated or exposed to whatever it is meant to fight off
(CDC 2012). This exposure is what triggers the production on white blood cells for the
prevention of infection. The immune system is also responsible for the protection of the body
through the production of mucus. Mucus is produced to coat and protect by means of a semi-
impermeable barrier to prevent the suspected allergens or molecules from reaching the
internal organs. To trap the molecules before they are able to travel freely and potentially
multiply within an individual. With proper exposure the immune system may not recognize
certain molecules as hazardous, thus preventing an allergic or asthmatic response that causes
irritation, fever, hives, and/or the collapsing of an airway.
In 2005 eleven analysts set out to dissect and explain the research of dozens of
scientists collecting data in rural communities (ALEX Study Team). These scientists were on a
mission to determine whether the exposure to domesticated animals at an early age had any
impact on diagnosed asthma cases. After meeting the criteria of a questionnaire parents were
visited at their home for an interview to determine whether or not their children were eligible
for such an evaluation. After the interviews, 812 children were able to continue into the
evaluation process. Children were then evaluated in the following groups. Those with
exposure to:
No animal exposure within the first year of life
Exposure to Cats only
Exposure to Dogs only
Exposure to Dogs and Cats
Within the two main groups consisting of:
Farming families 319 children mean age of 9.42 years
Non-Farming families 493 children mean age of 9.49 years
Information about all the animals that they, the children, came into contact with during that
past 12 months before the study was collected as well. Pet contact during the childs first year
of life was one of the requirements for entry and the most important aspect of the study. The
study was well balanced with almost equal percentages of boys to girls, 51% male and 49%
female participants. The childrens environment was then analyzed on four basic levels. Dust
was collected from the childs sleeping situation, from their house in general, and from the
houses ventilation system. The next dust sample came from the animals within the home;
depending on which group of exposure the child was in. The next procedure of the study, was
to analyze the childs response to specific outside allergens, as well as those find within the
home and on the animals, and then to review medical history before comparing results against
children throughout the region. Serum samples where tested against two sets of each allergen.
The first set of allergens were grown in sterile conditions at room temperature for one week
before being tested against serum samples of the participants to evaluate the immune
response from each childs serum. The second set was first frozen for 2 days before being
tested against serum samples from the children one at a time against a single possible allergen.
The results of this study show that children with constant and safe exposure to dogs,
cats or the combination of both at an early age are less likely to develop an immune-mediated
response towards grass and cat allergens, and have fewer diagnosed cases of asthma and hay
fever (Allergy 2005). While exposure to cats alone resulted in a decreased chance or
reoccurring wheezing. The dog may be mans best friend in terms of allergic disease prevention
for his children. The study shows that children with exposure to various micro-bacteria and
allergens from a safe source, such as a dog, had the fewest number of diagnosed asthma and
hay fever cases by over 3 percent. Participants with exposure starting during their first year of
life had the fewest cases. A safe source of exposure can be defined as an indirect or delayed
communication between the body and the allergen. In this context, a grass pollen would attach
to the dogs fur as he or she roams. During the lapse in time from the pick-up of such pollen
before the child is exposed, either by touching the dog to acquire these pollens by hand or by
the dog shaking and the pollen becoming air-born and then inhaled, somehow the pollen loses
its initial intensity, or weakens. Thus creating a source of safe exposure to possible allergens
and micro-organisms. The immune system must be stimulated and/or exposed to whatever it is
meant to fight against.
Without stimulants or the arousal of the immune system, it will stay asleep, dormant,
idly waiting for the opportunity to present itself where it can to go to work, and create the tools
our body needs to stay strong, to fit infection, and to heal as fast as possible. This is why we
vaccinate everybody for everything. This is why yearly flu shots are strongly urged and why
some become ill from the shot, because you give yourself exposure to the influenza virus. We
expose ourselves to what might harm us later on, but we are in control of this 99% safe
exposure. With the ever present fear of mass flu epidemics, or other easily transmissible viral
infections, we as a nation have taken drastic measures to sterilize our environment. As a result,
we deny our immune systems their birth right. To function as well as possible, to never stop
working, and to heal us when ill. Exposure and the self-reliant production of natural antibiotics
from within is the only true way to retain or grow a healthy immune system. That being said,
we need antibiotics to prevent death from E. coli bacterial exposure, we need tetanus vaccines
to stay safe working around old metal and in dirt, but is there truly a need for antiseptic hand
soap and the attempted sterilization of everything in the ones home, work place, car, or air
space during day to day life? This lack of exposure and over sterilization has caused new and
chronic disease as well as the growth of new bacteria and viruses. These organisms were
exposed to unchanging antibacterial and antiviral agents on such a large scale that they became
immune, because the reproduction rate and immune system of these harmful organisms was
challenged for survival, they responded, and now we have to play catch-up.
http://erj.ersjournals.com/content/8/3/483.short
http://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1034/j.1398-9995.2003.00161.x/full
ALEX Study Team for Allergy 2005 http://web.a.ebscohost.com.ccproxy.idm.oclc.org/ehost/detail?vid=2&sid=c5d267cd-4a95-
4336-b86b-
f0ada8bdcaeb%40sessionmgr4004&hid=4209&bdata=JkF1dGhUeXBlPWlwLHVpZCZzaXRlPWVob3N0LWxpdmUmc2NvcGU9c2l0
ZQ%3d%3d
http://isaac.auckland.ac.nz/phases/phases.html
http://www.ginasthma.org/
J.B. Cookson http://journal.publications.chestnet.org/article.aspx?articleid=1060287
http://www.africanjournalofrespiratorymedicine.com/articles/march_2014/AJRM%20Mar%2014%20pp%204-13.pdf

You might also like