Press Release: CUHK study finds vigorous disinfection linked to increased risk of eczema and atopic diseases

International studies have reported that cases of eczema and other allergy diseases in infants born during the COVID-19 pandemic had significantly increased. This observation can be explained by the “hygiene hypothesis”, which suggest that a lack of early childhood exposure to particular microorganisms impairs the development of the immune system, increasing the risk of atopic and immune diseases.

A gut microbiome research team from The Chinese University of Hong Kong (CUHK)’s Faculty of Medicine (CU Medicine) conducted a large-scale study to explore the burden of eczema in Hong Kong and its underlying causes. By analysing data from 1,152 children, they found a 46% increase in the incidence of allergy in toddlers born in Hong Kong during the pandemic when compared to before the pandemic. By sequencing 700 infant stool samples, researchers also found that beneficial bacteria associated with immunity decreased in the gut of babies born during the pandemic than before the pandemic.

Read the full press release here.