摘要：HYGIENE, A WELL-STRUCTURED BRANCH OF PREVENTIVE MEDICINE, HAS DEMONSTRATED ITS CRUCIAL ROLE IN MAINTAINING AN OPTIMAL HEALTH STATUS OF THE POPULATION SINCE ANTIQUITY. CURRENTLY IN THE POLLUTED AND EXCESSIVELY INDUSTRIALIZED ENVIRONMENT IN WHICH WE LIVE, BOTH DEFICIT AND EXCESS HYGIENE ARE CONSIDERED HARMFUL. A STUDY STARTED ON A BATCH OF NEWBORN INFANTS REVEALED THE RELATIONSHIP OF DIRECT PROPORTIONALITY IN THE CORRECT ACQUISITION OF HYGIENE RULES WITH THE SOCIO-ECONOMIC AND EDUCATIONAL LEVEL OF THE FAMILY AND INVERSELY PROPORTIONAL TO THE RISK OF GERM INFECTION ACQUIRED THROUGH DIRECT SKIN CONTACT OR FECAL ORAL TRANSMISSION.
