The role of infections in autoimmune disease

• Published in: Clinical and experimental immunology Vol. 155; no. 1; pp. 1 - 15
• Main Authors: Ercolini, A. M., Miller, S. D.
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Oxford, UK Blackwell Publishing Ltd 01-01-2009; Blackwell; Blackwell Science Inc
• Subjects: Analytical, structural and metabolic biochemistry; Animals; autoimmune disease; Autoimmune Diseases - microbiology; Bacterial Infections - immunology; Biological and medical sciences; Disease Models, Animal; Fundamental and applied biological sciences. Psychology; Humans; Infectious diseases; Medical sciences; Models, Animal; molecular mimicry; Parasitic Diseases - immunology; Review; Viral diseases; Virus Diseases - immunology; virus infection; Infection; Immunopathology; Viral disease; Autoimmune disease; Biochemistry; Molecular mimicry; virus infection
• ISSN: 0009-9104; 1365-2249
• DOI: 10.1111/j.1365-2249.2008.03834.x

Summary
Autoimmunity occurs when the immune system recognizes and attacks host tissue. In addition to genetic factors, environmental triggers (in particular viruses, bacteria and other infectious pathogens) are thought to play a major role in the development of autoimmune diseases. In this review, we (i) describe the ways in which an infectious agent can initiate or exacerbate autoimmunity; (ii) discuss the evidence linking certain infectious agents to autoimmune diseases in humans; and (iii) describe the animal models used to study the link between infection and autoimmunity.