Lupus Erythematosus.
Last updated Thursday, December 23, 2004
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Causes and effectsWhat causes lupus erythematosus? We don't know the cause of lupus. Doctors and scientists agree that
it is an autoimmune disease. The immune system is your body's natural
defense against disease. "Auto" means self. Thus, an autoimmune disease
is one that is directed against the body's own tissue.
Under normal conditions, when harmful bacteria invade the body,
protective substances in your blood called antibodies develop to fight
off the bacteria. In lupus, antibodies may be formed even without the
presence of foreign substances like bacteria. These antibodies are
called autoantibodies because they attack the body's own tissues. This
in turn causes inflammation and injury to body tissues and organs, and
may result in the symptoms that people with lupus experience. What
triggers the chain of events that leads to this abnormal autoimmune
reaction is unknown.
Some studies suggest that certain people may inherit the tendency to
get lupus. This conclusion stems from the fact that some new cases of
lupus may be more common in a family in which one member already has
the disease. However there is no evidence that lupus is directly passed
on, for example, from mother to daughter. Some scientists believe that
perhaps a virus may trigger the genetic tendency to develop lupus and
bring on the symptoms of the disease.
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