Why is lupus an autoimmune disease?

Answer 1

When a person has lupus, the immune system is confused and cannot tell the difference between healthy self and invaders like viruses, bacteria, or parasites. As a result, the immune system attacks healthy tissue. "Auto" means self. In lupus, the immune system works against the self.

Answer 2

Lupus is one of the diseases that fall into the category of autoimmune disease.

• auto = self
• immune = the body's protection system

In lupus, the body is attacking itself.

The normal body's immune system acts like an army, defending the organism from invaders such as bacteria, fungus and viruses. It also helps heal the body by causing temporary inflammation at the site of a wound. In this army there are cells that direct like Generals, and cells that do the work of destroying the invaders, like troops in the army.

In autoimmunity, the body's army of defenders doesn't have enough Generals to tell the well-armed troops what to do. Because the troops lack instruction and direction, they begin attacking the body's normal cells in an act of *friendly fire*. Inflammation runs rampant and uncontrolled, and damage occurs.

The troops involved in this process are called Antibodies.

All autoimmune diseases have one thing in common: The errant immune system. Each different autoimmune disease has their own specific antibodies attacking specific parts and organs in the body.

Answer 3

Your immune system fails to identify the protein from your body as own and treat the same as foreign protein. Then try to attack the same and you get the autoimmune disease.

Answer 4

Yes, SLE is an autoimmune disease.