Autoimmune disease
Antibodies against harmful antigens are produced by the body's immune system. An autoimmune disease occurs when the immune system attacks the cells of the body. This hypersensitive response to the body's own tissue is similar to the allergic response.
One theory to explain the cause of autoimmune disorders is that bacteria, viruses or drugs may trigger changes in the immune system. These changes make the immune system unable to distinguish between body tissues [1].
Common autoimmune disorders:
•Addison's disease
•Celiac disease - sprue (gluten-sensitive enteropathy)
•Dermatomyositis
•Graves' disease
•Hashimoto's thyroiditis
•Multiple sclerosis
•Myasthenia gravis
•Pernicious anemia
•Reactive arthritis
•Rheumatoid arthritis
•Sjogren syndrome
•Systemic lupus erythematosus
•Type I diabetes
References
- ↑ Firestein G., Budd R., Harris E.(2009) Kelley's Textbook of Rheumatology. 8th edition. Philadelphia, Saunders Elsevier.
MedlinePlus920150,Autoimmune Disorders, Available at:https://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/ency/article/000816.htm [Accessed 19 October 2015]