Updated December 29, 2014.

Definition: According to AARDA (American Autoimmune Related Diseases Association), "the term autoimmune disease refers to a varied group of more than 80 serious, chronic illnesses that involve almost every human organ system. In all of these diseases, the underlying problem is similar, the body's immune system becomes misdirected, attacking the very organs it was designed to protect."

Research of autoimmune diseases has not revealed the mechanisms that cause this response.

According to A.D.A.M, one theory holds that various microorganisms and drugs somehow "trigger" the misdirected immune response, particularly in those with a genetic predisposition to an autoimmune disease.

It is possible to have more than one autoimmune disease. Many types of arthritis are considered autoimmune-related diseases, including:

• Ankylosing Spondylitis
• Lupus
• Rheumatoid Arthritis
• Juvenile Arthritis
• Scleroderma
• Dermatomyositis
• Behcet's Disease
• Celiac Disease
• Crohn's Disease / Ulcerative Colitis
• Sjogren's Syndrome
• Reiter's Syndrome (Reactive Arthritis)
• Mixed Connective Tissue Disease
• Raynaud's Phenomenon
• Giant Cell Arteritis / Temporal Arteritis
• Polymyalgia Rheumatica
• Polyarteritis Nodosa
• Polymyositis
• Takayasu Arteritis
• Wegeners Granulomatosis
• Vasculitis

 

Also Known As: autoimmune disorders

Common Misspellings: autoimune, autoimunne, auttoimune

Examples: Rheumatoid arthritis is an autoimmune disease.

<sub>Sources:

Autoimmune disorders. A.D.A.M.
http://adam.about.net/encyclopedia/infectiousdiseases/Autoimmune-disorders.htm

Autoimmune Disease Patient Information. American Autoimmune Related Diseases Association
http://www.aarda.org/</sub>