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About.com Health's Disease and Condition content is reviewed by Kate Grossman, MD

Definition: Autoimmune diseases are disorders in which the body's tissues are attacked by its own immune system.

According to AARDA (American Autoimmune Related Diseases Association), "the term "autoimmune disease" refers to a varied group of more than 80 serious, chronic illnesses that involve almost every human organ system. In all of these diseases, the underlying problem is similar, the body's immune system becomes misdirected, attacking the very organs it was designed to protect."

Research of autoimmune diseases has not revealed the mechanisms that cause this response. According to A.D.A.M, one theory holds that various microorganisms and drugs somehow "triggers" off the immune response, particularly in those with a genetic predisposition to an autoimmune disease.

Someone can experience more than one autoimmune disease at the same time.

Many of the over 100 types of arthritis and its related conditions are also considered to be autoimmune related diseases.

These include:

Ankylosing Spondylitis

Lupus

Rheumatoid Arthritis

Juvenile Arthritis

Scleroderma

Dermatomyositis

Behcet's Disease

Celiac Disease

Crohn's Disease / Ulcerative Colitis

Sjogren's Syndrome

Reiter's Syndrome (Reactive Arthritis)

Mixed Connective Tissue Disease

Raynaud's Phenomenon

Giant Cell Arteritis / Temporal Arteritis

Polymyalgia Rheumatica

Polyarteritis Nodosa

Polymyositis

Takayasu Arteritis

Wegeners Granulomatosis

Vasculitis

More:

Autoimmune Disorders

Rheumatism, Rheumatic Disease, And Arthritis: Are They The Same?

Also Known As: autoimmune disorders

Common Misspellings: autoimune, autoimunne, auttoimune

Examples: Rheumatoid arthritis is an autoimmune disease.

_{Sources: Autoimmune disorders, A.D.A.M.; Autoimmune Disease Patient Information, American Autoimmune Related Diseases Association}