Exploring the relationship between infectious agents and autoimmune diseases: a review

• Published in: European journal of clinical microbiology & infectious diseases Vol. 43; no. 8; pp. 1505 - 1516
• Main Authors: Feng, Zhihui, Yang, Xueli, Zhang, Biao, Mo, Chune, Li, Chunhong, Tian, Xiayu, Zhang, Chong, Ou, Minglin, Hou, Xianliang
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Berlin/Heidelberg Springer Berlin Heidelberg 01-08-2024; Springer Nature B.V
• Subjects: Antibodies; Antigens; Asymptomatic; Autoimmune Diseases; Biomedical and Life Sciences; Biomedicine; Chronic illnesses; Communicable Diseases; E coli; Epstein-Barr virus; Genomes; Guillain-Barre syndrome; Hospitals; Humans; Immune system; Infections; Infectious diseases; Internal Medicine; Laboratories; Lupus; Medical Microbiology; Mimicry; Molecular Mimicry; Multiple sclerosis; Nervous system; Pancreatitis; Pathogenesis; Pathogens; Patients; Peptides; Review; Infection; Autoimmunity; Autoimmune diseases
• ISSN: 0934-9723; 1435-4373; 1435-4373
• DOI: 10.1007/s10096-024-04869-w

The relationship between infectious agents and autoimmune diseases is a complex issue. In recent years, increasing clinical cases have indicated that infectious agents play an important role in the development of autoimmune diseases. Molecular mimicry is currently widely regarded as the primary pathogenic mechanism of various autoimmune diseases in humans. Components of infectious agents can undergo molecular mimicry with components in patients’ bodies, leading to the development of various autoimmune diseases. In this article, we provide a brief overview of current research of the current research status on the relationship between infectious agents and autoimmune diseases, and describe our current understanding of their mechanisms of action in order to better understand the pathogenesis, diagnosis, and treatment of autoimmune diseases.