Abstract

The purpose of this project is to determine why children brought up in sterile environments are more susceptible to autoimmune diseases and allergies than are children brought up in pathogen-saturated environments. Research centred around the adaptive immune system was used to determine possible causes for this. As well, other studies, by Dr. William Parker and Dr. Graham Rook, were examined. The major results confirmed that children brought up in sterile environments are more susceptible to autoimmune diseases and allergies than are children brought up in pathogen-saturated environments. Five possible causes for the high rate of autoimmune diseases and allergies were theorized as conclusions. The implications of this are that the cause for the high rate of autoimmune diseases in those brought up in sterile environments must be isolated and administered to all children, or that we all revert to more pathogen-saturated environments in order to avoid allergies and autoimmune diseases.

Project Information

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Grade Category: 10-12

Team Size: 1

Subject Area: Health/Sport Science

Project Type: Descriptive

Language: English

Software Tools:

Microsoft Paint XP
Microsoft Notepad XP
Adobe Photoshop CS Version 8

Hardware Tools:

Lexmark Scanner
Microsoft Windows XP (Home Edition) computer

Source of Idea: Biology 20 course mentioned briefly the immune system, which led to further questions such as the cause for the higher rate of autoimmune diseases found in people who have grown up in sterile environment.

Special Skills: HTML

Awards Won:

Calgary Youth Science Fair:
-Gold medal
-Calgary Medical Society Award
-BP Travel Award (chosen to go to Canada Wide Science Fair)

Canada Wide Science Fair:
Fair has not yet taken place (May 12-20, 2007).

Project Report (Summary) (PDF file, Acrobat Reader required) - made for the Canada Wide Science Fair 2007 (For full page view, right click, and select "Open link in new tab").

This site was made by Bhuvana Sankaranarayanan. Any unauthorized use for one's own purposes is forbidden.

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