Overview
- First book to consider the broader implications of the hygiene hypothesis in areas of medicine where it has not previously been applied
- Discusses the evidence for and against in the context of Darwinian medicine
- Interdisciplinary approach
- Written by well-known scientists in their respective fields
- Includes supplementary material: sn.pub/extras
Part of the book series: Progress in Inflammation Research (PIR)
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Table of contents (15 chapters)
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Front Matter
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Back Matter
Keywords
About this book
Man has moved rapidly from the hunter-gatherer environment to the living conditions of industrialised countries. The hygiene hypothesis suggests that the resulting reduced exposure to micro-organisms has led to disordered regulation of the immune system, and hence to increases in certain chronic inflammatory disorders, like allergic disorders, autoimmunity, inflammatory bowel disease, atherosclerosis, depression, some cancers and perhaps Alzheimer and Parkinson. This book discusses the evidence for and against in the context of Darwinian medicine, which uses knowledge of evolution to cast light on human diseases. The approach is interdisciplinary, looking at man’s microbiological history, at the biology of the effects of microorganisms on the immune system, and at the implications for chronic inflammatory disorders in multiple organ systems. Finally, the authors describe progress in the exploitation of microorganisms or their components as novel prophylactics and treatments.
Reviews
From the reviews:
"To leave no doubt, this book is well worth reading. ... It provides a highly welcome overview of the hypothesis from different angles, with an understandable immunology emphasis. ... Importantly, the book also addresses limitations to the hygiene hypothesis, as well as alternative and additional mechanisms ... this book is a highly worthwile addition to existing literature. In view of its broadness and depth, and its critical appraisal of the hygiene hypothesis. It is useful for teaching purposes as well as for researchers from different fields, and the chances are good that it will gain soundbite notoriety as The Rook Book." (Prof. Dr. Jon D. Laman, The Evolution & Medicine Review (EMR), Feb 2010)
“This important book takes a clear evolutionary view of the hygiene hypothesis putting it in the context of an environment of evolutionary adaptedness. … A particular strength of this book is that, as well as the expected and respected immunological and microbiological names, Rook has been able to attract experts from other fields, such as the award-winning biological anthropologist Armelagos, to give a well-rounded view of the subject. … This is a thought provoking and well-written book … .” (Frank C. Hay, Immunology News, August, 2010)
“Book provides an up-to-date overview of research into the unintended negative consequences of modern hygiene and other recent changes to the modern human lifestyle on human health. … The Hygiene Hypothesis and Darwinian Medicine is precious addition to this emerging field, and the large collection of ideas presented by the authors will benefit and motivate many researchers who are puzzled by the way that ‘modern life’ with all its improvements is biting back and causing much suffering, especially among the younger members of our species.” (Pascal Gagneux, The Quarterly Review of Biology, Vol. 87 (2), June, 2012)
Editors and Affiliations
Bibliographic Information
Book Title: The Hygiene Hypothesis and Darwinian Medicine
Editors: Graham A. W. Rook
Series Title: Progress in Inflammation Research
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-7643-8903-1
Publisher: Birkhäuser Basel
eBook Packages: Biomedical and Life Sciences, Biomedical and Life Sciences (R0)
Copyright Information: Birkhäuser Basel 2009
Hardcover ISBN: 978-3-7643-8902-4Published: 14 August 2009
eBook ISBN: 978-3-7643-8903-1Published: 24 December 2009
Series ISSN: 1422-7746
Series E-ISSN: 2296-4525
Edition Number: 1
Number of Pages: XII, 308
Topics: Immunology, Infectious Diseases, Medical Microbiology, Cell Biology