![]() |
|
|
Department of Pneumology and Immunology, Charité Berlin, Virchow-Klinikum, 13353 Berlin, Germany
Allergic diseases, particularly in childhood, have become one of the epidemics of the 21st century. Whereas previous strategies for allergy prevention focused on the avoidance of risk factors, more recent approaches are addressing attempts to provide protective factors to infants and young children to achieve immune modulation and tolerance to harmless nutritional or environmental allergens. This change of paradigm for allergy prevention might lead to more effective interventions, which hopefully contribute to reversing the epidemiologic trend of the last decades. In many industrialized countries, the increased prevalence of atopy and asthma has become a serious public health issue. If preventive intervention could be effective at all, it would have to be applied early in life, most probably in early infancy. Unfortunately, our understanding of the natural history of the process of atopic sensitization, atopic dermatitis, and allergic airway disease is still very limited. On the other hand, the evaluation of risk factors and determinants is a necessary prerequisite for any effective intervention.
* To whom correspondence should be addressed. Email: ulrich.wahn{at}charite.de.
This article has been cited by other articles:
![]() |
H. K. A. Visser Dietary Influences on Infection and Allergy in Infants: Introduction J. Nutr., September 1, 2008; 138(9): 1768S - 1769S. [Full Text] [PDF] |
||||
![]() |
L. M'Rabet, A. P. Vos, G. Boehm, and J. Garssen Breast-Feeding and Its Role in Early Development of the Immune System in Infants: Consequences for Health Later in Life J. Nutr., September 1, 2008; 138(9): 1782S - 1790S. [Full Text] [PDF] |
||||
![]() |
L. Morelli Postnatal Development of Intestinal Microflora as Influenced by Infant Nutrition J. Nutr., September 1, 2008; 138(9): 1791S - 1795S. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF] |
||||
![]() |
G. Biasucci, B. Benenati, L. Morelli, E. Bessi, and G. Boehm Cesarean Delivery May Affect the Early Biodiversity of Intestinal Bacteria J. Nutr., September 1, 2008; 138(9): 1796S - 1800S. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF] |
||||
![]() |
G. Chirico, R. Marzollo, S. Cortinovis, C. Fonte, and A. Gasparoni Antiinfective Properties of Human Milk J. Nutr., September 1, 2008; 138(9): 1801S - 1806S. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF] |
||||
![]() |
F. Gottrand Long-Chain Polyunsaturated Fatty Acids Influence the Immune System of Infants J. Nutr., September 1, 2008; 138(9): 1807S - 1812S. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF] |
||||
![]() |
H. N. Lafeber, E. A. M. Westerbeek, A. van den Berg, W. P. F. Fetter, and R. M. van Elburg Nutritional Factors Influencing Infections in Preterm Infants J. Nutr., September 1, 2008; 138(9): 1813S - 1817S. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF] |
||||
![]() |
G. Boehm and G. Moro Structural and Functional Aspects of Prebiotics Used in Infant Nutrition J. Nutr., September 1, 2008; 138(9): 1818S - 1828S. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF] |
||||
![]() |
J. B. van Goudoever, W. Corpeleijn, M. Riedijk, M. Schaart, I. Renes, and S. van der Schoor The Impact of Enteral Insulin-Like Growth Factor 1 and Nutrition on Gut Permeability and Amino Acid Utilization J. Nutr., September 1, 2008; 138(9): 1829S - 1833S. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF] |
||||