Francesco Rosmini

TL;DR: Respiratory allergy is less frequent in people heavily exposed to orofecal and foodborne microbes andgiene and a westernised, semisterile diet may facilitate atopy by influencing the overall pattern of commensals and pathogens that stimulate the gut associated lymphoid tissue thus contributing to the epidemic of allergic asthma and rhinitis in developed countries.

TL;DR: Indirect but important evidence is added to the working hypothesis as common infections acquired early in life because of the presence of many older siblings or because of unhygienic living conditions (among seropositive subjects) may have reduced the risk of developing atopy.

TL;DR: Serologic evidence of acquisition of certain infections, mainly food-borne and orofecal infection, is associated with a lower probability of having hay fever and asthma in the United States.

TL;DR: In a very large and homogeneous population sample of a Mediterranean country, not only sibship size but also birth order was significantly associated with atopy, which supports the hypothesis that cross-infections acquired early in infancy or in later childhood might prevent development of atopy later in life.

TL;DR: From 20 April through 13 May 1992, 9 children were hospitalized with hemolytic-uremic syndrome in Lombardia, Italy, where only 14 cases of this syndrome had occurred in the preceding 4 years.