Autoimmunity occurs when the cells of the immune system which are programmed to protect you from bacteria and viruses mistake the body's own cells as dangerous and attack them. The causes of autoimmunity are not known. It is suspected that autoimmunity is at least in part caused by genetic defects. Autoimmune diseases are triggered when something stimulates the immune system—this could be sunlight, infection, drugs, or pregnancy. Autoimmunity can affect almost any organ or body system. The exact problem depends upon which tissues are affected. For many, the first symptoms of an autoimmune disease are fatigue, muscle aches, and low fever.

Because autoimmune diseases can affect almost any organ or body system they are often grouped by the body systems that they affect, these include:

Blood and blood vessels - pernicious anemia and systemic lupus erythematosus (lupus).

Digestive tract - Crohn's disease, primary biliary cirrhosis, and ulcerative colitis.

Endocrine glands - Grave's disease and type 1 diabetes.

Joints - rheumatoid arthritis

Heart - myocarditis

Kidneys - glomerulonephritis

Nerves - multiple sclerosis

Skin - psoriasis

Many autoimmune conditions involve multiple organ systems such as lupus that involves blood vessels, skin, heart, joints, kidneys, lungs, and nerves.

Autoimmune diseases can be difficult to diagnose because they do not present a clear set of symptoms. Diagnosis usually involves medical history, physical examination and laboratory tests. A medical history includes family members with autoimmune conditions, symptoms and when they started. Physical examination includes checking for signs such as swollen lymph nodes, inflamed joints, and discolored skin. Laboratory tests may look for autoantibodies. Diagnosis of an autoimmune disease often takes time and multiple visits to the doctor.

Treatment depends upon the type of autoimmunity. Regardless of the type of treatment, the goals of treatment are to relieve symptoms, to preserve organ function, and to target disease mechanisms. Autoimmune diseases may involve a team of specialists. Rheumatologists treat arthritis and other rheumatoid diseases such as lupus and scleroderma. Endocrinologists treat gland and hormone problems such as diabetes and thyroid disease. Neurologists treat nerve diseases such as multiple sclerosis and myasthenia gravis. Hematologists treat diseases of the blood such as anemias. Gatroenterologists treat disorders of the digestive tract like Crohn's disease and ulcerative colitis. Dermatologists treat diseases of the skin, hair and nails including psoriasis and alopecia. Nephrologists treat disorders of the kidneys.

Reference: http://www.niams.nih.gov/hi/topics/autoimmune/autoimmunity.htm.

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