The Acari Hypothesis, VII: accounting for the comorbidity of allergy with other contemporary medical conditions, especially metabolic syndrome

The Acari Hypothesis proposes that vector-active acarians, i.e., mites and ticks, are the etiologic agents responsible for most, if not all, allergies. A corollary of The Hypothesis posits allergies are now more prevalent because contemporary hygienic practices remove from skin elements of sweat tha...

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Main Authors: Andrew C. Retzinger, Gregory S. Retzinger
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Frontiers Media S.A. 2025-03-01
Series:Frontiers in Allergy
Subjects:
Online Access:https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/falgy.2025.1537467/full
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author Andrew C. Retzinger
Gregory S. Retzinger
author_facet Andrew C. Retzinger
Gregory S. Retzinger
author_sort Andrew C. Retzinger
collection DOAJ
description The Acari Hypothesis proposes that vector-active acarians, i.e., mites and ticks, are the etiologic agents responsible for most, if not all, allergies. A corollary of The Hypothesis posits allergies are now more prevalent because contemporary hygienic practices remove from skin elements of sweat that otherwise deter acarians. Because the antimicrobial activity of sweat extends beyond acarians, disruption/removal of sweat on/from skin must enable aberrant microbial colonization, possibly potentiating comorbid conditions assignable to the aberrant microbial colonist(s). Allergy is strongly comorbid with metabolic syndrome. Available evidence links the principal features of metabolic syndrome to Staphylococcus aureus, an organism influenced significantly by constituents of sweat. Thus, the removal of sweat predisposes to both allergy and metabolic syndrome. Indeed, the “immune-compromised” state brought upon by contemporary hygienic practices likely accounts for the comorbidity of many contemporary medical conditions, examples of which are highlighted.
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spelling doaj-art-6bf66f4cfe3145e287ec6b13d7c79fd12025-08-20T02:10:42ZengFrontiers Media S.A.Frontiers in Allergy2673-61012025-03-01610.3389/falgy.2025.15374671537467The Acari Hypothesis, VII: accounting for the comorbidity of allergy with other contemporary medical conditions, especially metabolic syndromeAndrew C. Retzinger0Gregory S. Retzinger1Department of Emergency Medicine, Camden Clark Medical Center, West Virginia University, Parkersburg, WV, United StatesDepartment of Pathology, Feinberg School of Medicine, Northwestern University, Chicago, IL, United StatesThe Acari Hypothesis proposes that vector-active acarians, i.e., mites and ticks, are the etiologic agents responsible for most, if not all, allergies. A corollary of The Hypothesis posits allergies are now more prevalent because contemporary hygienic practices remove from skin elements of sweat that otherwise deter acarians. Because the antimicrobial activity of sweat extends beyond acarians, disruption/removal of sweat on/from skin must enable aberrant microbial colonization, possibly potentiating comorbid conditions assignable to the aberrant microbial colonist(s). Allergy is strongly comorbid with metabolic syndrome. Available evidence links the principal features of metabolic syndrome to Staphylococcus aureus, an organism influenced significantly by constituents of sweat. Thus, the removal of sweat predisposes to both allergy and metabolic syndrome. Indeed, the “immune-compromised” state brought upon by contemporary hygienic practices likely accounts for the comorbidity of many contemporary medical conditions, examples of which are highlighted.https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/falgy.2025.1537467/fullthe Acari Hypothesiseccrine glandsMalasseziaStaphylococcus aureusmetabolic syndromeobesity
spellingShingle Andrew C. Retzinger
Gregory S. Retzinger
The Acari Hypothesis, VII: accounting for the comorbidity of allergy with other contemporary medical conditions, especially metabolic syndrome
Frontiers in Allergy
the Acari Hypothesis
eccrine glands
Malassezia
Staphylococcus aureus
metabolic syndrome
obesity
title The Acari Hypothesis, VII: accounting for the comorbidity of allergy with other contemporary medical conditions, especially metabolic syndrome
title_full The Acari Hypothesis, VII: accounting for the comorbidity of allergy with other contemporary medical conditions, especially metabolic syndrome
title_fullStr The Acari Hypothesis, VII: accounting for the comorbidity of allergy with other contemporary medical conditions, especially metabolic syndrome
title_full_unstemmed The Acari Hypothesis, VII: accounting for the comorbidity of allergy with other contemporary medical conditions, especially metabolic syndrome
title_short The Acari Hypothesis, VII: accounting for the comorbidity of allergy with other contemporary medical conditions, especially metabolic syndrome
title_sort acari hypothesis vii accounting for the comorbidity of allergy with other contemporary medical conditions especially metabolic syndrome
topic the Acari Hypothesis
eccrine glands
Malassezia
Staphylococcus aureus
metabolic syndrome
obesity
url https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/falgy.2025.1537467/full
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