Authors reply: Prevention of the spread of infection – the need for a family-centred approach to hygiene promotion

S Bloomfield; M Exner; G M Fara; E A Scott

doi:10.2807/ese.13.23.18894-en

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Authors reply: Prevention of the spread of infection – the need for a family-centred approach to hygiene promotion
S Bloomfield^1,2 , M Exner^1,3 , G M Fara^1,4 , E A Scott^1,5
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Affiliations: ¹ International Scientific Forum on Home Hygiene, Cheshire, United Kingdom ² London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, London, United Kingdom ³ Institute for Hygiene and Public Health, University of Bonn, Bonn, Germany ⁴ Department Public Health Sciences G. Sanarelli, Città Universitaria, Rome, Italy ⁵ Simmons College, Boston, United States

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S Bloomfield
SallyFBloomfield aol.com
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Citation style for this article: Bloomfield S, Exner M, Fara G M, Scott E A. Authors reply: Prevention of the spread of infection – the need for a family-centred approach to hygiene promotion. Euro Surveill. 2008;13(23):pii=18894. https://doi.org/10.2807/ese.13.23.18894-en Received: 04 Jun 2008

Abstract

We agree that promulgating the hygiene hypothesis and related environmental issues to the public can serve to confuse, rather than to inform. The reality is however that these issues have already received widespread coverage by the media, which tends to leave the public concerned and confused about the role of hygiene and cleanliness, particularly in relation to the functioning of the immune system.