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Autoimmune Diseases

What are autoimmune diseases?

Your immune system protects you from disease and infection by attacking germs that get into your body, such as viruses and bacteria. Your immune system can tell that the germs aren't part of you, so it destroys them. If you have an autoimmune disease, your immune system attacks the healthy cells of your organs and tissues by mistake.

There are more than 80 types of autoimmune diseases. They can affect almost any part of your body. For example, alopecia areata is an autoimmune disease of the skin that causes hair loss. Autoimmune hepatitis affects the liver. In type 1 diabetes, the immune system attacks the pancreas. And in rheumatoid arthritis, the immune system can attack many parts of the body, including the joints, lungs, and eyes.

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Results 1 - 10 of 1,100 for autoimmune diseases
  1. Autoimmune Diseases (National Library of Medicine)  
    What are autoimmune diseases? Your immune system protects you from disease and infection by attacking germs that get into your body, such ... so it destroys them. If you have an autoimmune disease, your immune system attacks the healthy cells of ...
  2. Sjogren's Syndrome (National Library of Medicine)  
    ... called Sjogren's disease, is a chronic (long-lasting) autoimmune disease. When you have an autoimmune disease, your immune system attacks healthy tissues and organs ...
  3. Myasthenia Gravis (National Library of Medicine)  
    ... with rest. Myasthenia gravis is a type of autoimmune disease. In autoimmune diseases, your immune system attacks the healthy cells of ...
  4. Immune System and Disorders (National Library of Medicine)  
    ... lead to problems such as allergies, asthma, and autoimmune diseases. If you have an autoimmune disease, your immune system attacks healthy cells in your ...
  5. Movement Disorders (National Library of Medicine)  
    Movement disorders are neurologic conditions that cause problems with movement, such as: Increased movement that can be voluntary (intentional) or involuntary ( ...
  6. Autoimmune Diseases (Department of Health and Human Services, Office on Women's Health)  
    Autoimmune Diseases/Start Here ... Autoimmune Diseases ... Department of Health and Human Services, Office on Women's Health
  7. Understanding Autoimmune Diseases From the National Institutes of Health (National Institute of Arthritis and Musculoskeletal and Skin Diseases)  
    In autoimmune diseases, proteins known as autoantibodies target the body’s own healthy tissues by mistake, signaling the body to attack ...
  8. Symptoms of an autoimmune disease can be confusing. They often look the same as other conditions. Researchers are working on better ways to diagnose ... Understanding Autoimmune Diseases
  9. Autoimmune Addison disease affects the function of the adrenal glands, which are small hormone-producing glands located on top of each kidney. It is classified ...
  10. Shaking Out Clues to Autoimmune Disease From the National Institutes of Health (National Institutes of Health)  
    ... findings, salt, sodium, NaCl, autoimmune, autoimmunity, autoimmune disorder, autoimmune disease, inflammatory, inflammation, T helper 17, Th17, interleukin-17, ...
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