Human Autoimmunity

The human immune system is quite an advanced piece of machinery. Like every other system in the human body however it is entirely possible for it to malfunction. When it does it can start turning on the very body it is a part of, a phenomenon called autoimmunity (also sometimes called acute immunity). When the body it's supposed to defend suddenly becomes it's target a whole host of diseases can result. According to the American Autoimmune Related Diseases Association there are about 64 different recorded autoimmune diseases, a list which includes Multiple Sclerosis, Dermatomyositis, Addison's Disease, Celiac Disease, Hashimoto's Thyroiditis, Pernicious Anemia, Autoimmune Hepatitis, Fibromyalgia, Reactive Arthritis, Rheumatoid Arthritis, Lupus, Graves Disease, Myasthenia Gravis, and Type I Diabetes, among others. Each of them occur when the immune system is attacking a different part of the body. For example, Multiple sclerosis results when the immune system attacks the myelin sheath (the coating around the nerve cells), while rheumatoid arthritis results when the immune system attacks the membrane between the joints. General symptoms common amongst all autoimmune diseases include fever, fatigue and malaise. It is entirely possible for an individual to suffer from multiple autoimmune diseases at the same time.

It is not known specifically what would cause the immune system to start attacking its own body. Everything from diet to genetics to infectious microorganisms have been proposed as possible factors. Indeed, hormones are strongly believed to be an important factor - about 3 in 4 sufferers of autoimmune disease are women of childbearing age, and their symptoms can vary depending on hormone activity. It has even been proposed that the tiny exchange of cells between mother and child during pregnancy could induce autoimmunity in the mother, even years afterward. However, according to the American Autoimmune Related Diseases Association, autoimmune diseases that do develop in men happen to be more severe.

While most autoimmune diseases are chronic, a few can be managed with treatment. A class of anti-inflammatory drugs known as corticosteroids are the conventional drug of choice to treat autoimmune diseases, and like most drugs they are not without side effects. Their role is to suppress the immune response, and as such are called immunosuppresive medicines. Other drugs used in treatment may include azathioprine, cyclophosphamide, mycophenolate, sirolimus, or tacrolimus. In addition almost every autoimmune disease patient will be given supplements - usually vitamins, such as vitamin B12, or hormones, such as insulin. Sometimes however, treatment of the disease will require more drastic measures. For example, an entire blood transfusion may be called for if the autoimmune disease affects the blood.

A certain level of autoimmunity is actually considered normal. It is believed to keep the immune system 'sharp and agile' so to speak, so that when it faces an outside threat it is reasonably ready to confront it. In this way it may even aid in reducing the incidence of cancer. There are certain diseases, most of them parasitic infections, that can cause the likelihood and/or severity of autoimmunity to decrease. In regions of the world where infectious and parasitic disease is common there are almost no cases of autoimmunity at all. It is known that invading parasites must modify the infected person's immune response in order to protect themselves. However, it is not yet well understood how they achieve this, with most expert theories speculating that they probably release anti-inflammatory chemicals, or else interfere with immune signalling in the host. Some scientists even hope to find a cure for autoimmune diseases by gaining insight from parasites.

Every year over 23.5 million people suffer from autoimmune disease in the United States alone, while the worldwide number is much higher still. It is one of the most common classes of disease in the western world. There is, at present, no known cure.