ABSTRACT
The term “autoimmune disease” is commonly used to define disorders in which damage of various organs and tissues is mediated by immune (“autoimmune”) responses, characterized by the production of antibodies (“autoantibodies”) and/or effector T-cell reactions against normal components of the body or “autoantigens” (Bigazzi, 1997). A total of about 40 human diseases can be defined as autoimmune, and even though some of them are rare, the general prevalence of autoimmunity is quite high, approximating 5% of populations in the Western world (Parikh-Patel, 1999). According to some estimates, 1 in 31 Americans is likely to develop an autoimmune disease during life. In addition, the incidence of some autoimmune disorders such as thyroiditis and type 1 diabetes mellitus has recently increased, in part as the outcome of better diagnosis but possibly caused by actual growth. Therefore, autoimmune disease is a significant cause of morbidity and mortality.
