The role of infections in autoimmune diseases

Zusatztext

Many environmental factors are known to affect the immune system. They may play a role as triggers of autoimmunity. Bacterial, viral and parasitic infections are known to induce and exacerbate autoimmune diseases, mainly by the mechanism of molecular mimicry. Actually viruses and bacteria are the major postulated environmental triggers of autoimmunity. There are multiple mechanisms by which host infection by a pathogen can lead to autoimmunity. The pathogen may carry elements that are similar enough in amino acid sequence or structure to self-antigen. T or B cells that are activated in response to the pathogen are also cross-reactive to self and lead to direct damage and further activation of other arms of the immune system.

Autorenportrait

Dr. Hamidreza Honarmand, ph.D,is Assistant Professor of Microbiology in Guilan University of Medical sciences, Rasht, Iran. He has worked on several research project in the fields of Molecular diagnosis of bacterial diseases and the role of infectious diseases on autoimmunity. He is the author of many articles published in reputed journals.

Weitere Details