"You Dirty, Healthy Rat!"

Neat article, sort of rat related ;).

WASHINGTON -- Gritty rats and mice living in sewers and farms seem to have healthier immune systems than their squeaky clean cousins that frolic in cushy antiseptic labs, two studies indicate. The lesson for humans: Clean living may make us sick....

Read the whole article here:
http://www.wired.com/news/wireservice/0,71185-0.html?tw=rss.index[]http://www.wired.com/news/wireservice/0,71185-0.html?tw=rss.index

This is exactly why my kids (when I have some) will likely end up being sent to preschool etc.

This is an odd story for the news. Sounds a little strange to me!

Deja Vu. :roll: This is an odd story for the news. Their immune systyms increase? That's absurd! :P

Not really. The body can only improve its immune system as it is exposed to, and can develop antibodies to infection and bacteria. Its kind of like the team sports. If the 'team' doesn't get much, if any practice and experience at all, when it comes time to play for real, they're probably not going to do so well.

This is an odd story for the news. Sounds a little strange to me!

Not really. The body can only improve its immune system as it is exposed to, and can develop antibodies to infection and bacteria. Its kind of like the team sports. If the 'team' doesn't get much, if any practice and experience at all, when it comes time to play for real, they're probably not going to do so well.

Boy am I stupid or what? Thanks for making it more clear for me Xavier! :wink:

Xavier is right, we humans face the same problem, When I was in the military I was sent to Korea for a year, but before I went I had to get lots of shots to protect me from the local sickness to that they are immune to and we Westerners are not . I think at times we in the North America/USA are the squeeky clean ones and at great risk.