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The hygiene hypothesis was proposed in 1989 as a possible explanation for the rapidly increasing prevalence of atopic dermatitis (AD) and other allergic and autoimmune diseases in developed nations. This hypothesis posits that reduced exposure to infectious agents in early life alters immune system maturation. Findings on pet exposure and risk for (AD) in children are inconsistent. Therefore, researchers conducted a systematic review and meta-analysis of pooled data from 21 birth cohort studies (26 publications) that examined exposure to , cats, or other pets during infancy or childhood and AD during infancy and childhood.
The pooled relative risk of AD was significantly reduced for exposure versus no exposure to dogs (0.72, 15 studies) …