About 50 million people in the United States suffer from some form of allergy and asthma. The most common allergies are to dust, mildew, milk, food, nuts, latex, insects (especially bee stings), animal dander, pollen, tobacco smoke, aerosols, paint, perfumes, cleaning products or other strong odours or fumes. Some allergies are seasonal, such as an allergy to ragweed pollen. Other allergies extend throughout the year. Children whose parents suffer from allergies are 70% more likely to have the same allergies than children who have parents without allergies.

There are a number of medications that people can take for their allergy symptoms. There are both over the counter medicines and those prescribed by a physician. These include nasal sprays, antihistamines, corticosteroids, decongestants, homeopathic medicines, non-steroidal anti-inflammatories, Cromolyn, Nedocromil, theophylline, leukotrienes, and long acting beta antagonists. There are also allergy shots. The medicines or their dosages may need to be changed if allergy conditions are not improved.

Approximately 20 million Americans suffer from asthma. This includes nearly 9 million children under the age of 18. According to the American Lung Association, asthma is 39% higher in African Americans than in whites. In the United States, 5,000 people die each year from the disease. Children with asthmatic parents have a 40% likelihood of developing asthma. As well, females are 35% more likely than males to have asthma.

It has been observed that the underprivileged populations of Eastern Russia, India, Indonesia and Africa have 50% less incidence of allergies than richer countries. Researchers observed that children living on farms in Germany and Austria, where they drank raw milk and were in contact with the soil and fertilizers, had 75% fewer allergies than children who lived in cities. In another research study, it was found that 480 cadets of the Italian Air Force had fewer instances of respiratory diseases if, as children, they had been exposed to microbes transmitted through dirty water and meals cooked in this water. Scientists have suggested that the suppression of childhood illnesses, such as measles, mumps and diseases caused by viruses and worms, does have a downside. The immunologic system of children in developed countries seems to become idle.

These observations led to the development of the hygienical hypothesis. This suggests that the exposure to microbes in infancy strengthens the lymphocytes, the white blood cells that defend the body against infection. The hypothesis contends that children who have incidences of flu in the first years of their life seem to tend to develop fewer allergies than those who did not.

Acceptance of the hygienical hypothesis is growing in the medical community. This has led to changes in the way some parents raise their children. Instead of not allowing children to walk bare-footed, have contact with animals or bathe in tap water, they are doing the opposite. As well, they have come to the conclusion that better diets and less medicine are needed. It is hoped that doing these things will prevent the development of allergies and asthma later on.

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