ABSTRACT
Atopic dermatitis (AD) represents a major public health problem worldwide with an estimated current incidence of 10-20% in children and 1-3% in adults.1
Since World War II, AD prevalence has been steadily increasing in industrialized countries, but remains much lower in agricultural regions.2 The reason for this dramatic increase has not yet been elucidated. However, the Westernized lifestyle along with insufficient microbial exposure is presently being made responsible for this phenomenon, an explanation that has been designated as the ‘hygiene hypothesis’.3
