Infection And Autoimmunity

This is the most comprehensive review of the idiotypic network available. All the current knowledge of idiotypes of the various antibodies is incorporated in this volume. The pathogenic role of idiotypes in autoimmunity and cancer is reviewed in depth. The therapeutic part focusses on harnessing anti-idiotypes for treating autoimmunological disorders, and on the employment of idiotypes for vaccines in cancer and infectious diseases, as well as explaining the manipulation of the idiotypic network in autoimmunity and cancer idiotypes and vaccines.

Autoimmune diseases are conditions where the immune system attacks the body organs instead of foreign invaders. This book deals with the various mechanisms by which infectious agents can trigger autoimmunity such as molecular mimicry and polyclonal activation. An overview is given with regard to bacteria, viruses, and parasites associated with autoimmunity, and a summary is given on classical autoimmune diseases and the infecting agents that can induce them. Includes completely updated and new chapters Brings the reader up to date and allows easy access to individual topics in one place Identifies infectious agents as pathogenic or protective in many autoimmune diseases

Infection and Autoimmunity encompasses the different mechanisms involved in the infection-autoimmunity association/induction. Special attention is given to heat shock proteins (HSPs) and to transgenic mouse models to better understand infection-induced autoimmunity. Organized into six parts, this book first discusses the mechanisms of autoimmune induction by infection. Some chapters follow discussing the vaccination and vaccines, including the controversial issue of vaccine-autoimmunity relationship. Other chapters elucidate the relationship of bacteria and parasites to autoimmunity. Lastly, the aspects of infections and diseases are described. This reference material will help readers gain a deeper insight into the important etiological aspects of autoimmunity. The only book directed at the interactions between infectious agents and autoimmunity Describes the prevalence and incidence of the global issues and current therapeutic approaches Presents the measures for infection control Completely updated, with new chapters One-stop reference with easy access to topics

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In light of the discovery of Autoimmune Syndrome Induced by Adjuvants, or ASIA, Vaccines and Autoimmunity explores the role of adjuvants – specifically aluminum in different vaccines – and how they can induce diverse autoimmune clinical manifestations in genetically prone individuals. Vaccines and Autoimmunity is divided into three sections; the first contextualizes the role of adjuvants in the framework of autoimmunity, covering the mechanism of action of adjuvants, experimental models of adjuvant induced autoimmune diseases, infections as adjuvants, the Gulf War Syndrome, sick-building syndrome (SBS), safe vaccines, toll-like receptors, TLRS in vaccines, pesticides as adjuvants, oil as adjuvant, mercury, aluminum and autoimmunity. The following section reviews literature on vaccines that have induced autoimmune conditions such as MMR and HBV, among others. The final section covers diseases in which vaccines were known to be the solicitor – for instance, systemic lupus erythematosus – and whether it can be induced by vaccines for MMR, HBV, HCV, and others. Edited by leaders in the field, Vaccines and Autoimmunity is an invaluable resource for advanced students and researchers working in pathogenic and epidemiological studies.

There are millions of people who experience issues related to brain health--depression, attention issues, anxiety, forgetfulness, fatigue, and even chronic pain--yet can’t figure out what’s causing their problems and can’t find any relief. They may have seen a myriad of doctors, many of whom do not take their complaints seriously, or worse, turn to the easy, often inappropriate fix of antidepressants or antianxiety medications. Traditional medications, supplements, or other therapies haven’t worked. No matter what their age--from children to teens or seniors--people and their loved ones are frustrated, scared, and confused by their continued poor health. Countless others display severe psychiatric symptoms that seem to come out of nowhere, ranging from tics, obsessive-compulsive behaviors and anxiety, to depression, bipolar-like mood swings, and even borderline personality disorder and suicidal ideas. . Sometimes, the people affected are the only ones that notices a change to the way they think or feel, and they suffer in silence. Or, they reach out to try to get help, and are all too frequently misdiagnosed. Now, Dr. David Younger, a world-renowned physician, provides relief to these patients and their families. His diagnostic techniques and treatment protocols will help readers identify the true cause of their symptoms and put them on a clear path to healing so they no longer feel unbalanced, out of control, forgetful, and exhausted. THE AUTOIMMUNE BRAIN connects common brain health symptoms to the changes in the immune system, and particularly bacterial, viral, and parasitic infections. In this book, Dr. Younger explains his groundbreaking research and adds a new component: how traumatic stress (whether physical or emotional) and genetics affects this same triad as inextricable factors in initiating disease and brain health symptoms. In fact, a change in personality, behavior, coping style, and one’s emotional state may be the first clue that there is a health problem brewing somewhere else in the body. Readers will find new answers to troubling conditions, including: Alzheimer’s disease Anxiety Arthritis Autism Autonomic disturbances Bacterial and viral infections Bipolar Disorder Cancer Celiac disease and gluten intolerances Chronic Fatigue Syndrome (now referred to as Systemic Exertion Intolerance Disease) Chronic Pain Dementia Depression Endocrine Disorders Immune modulatory therapy using IVIg Lyme disease and co-infections Mast cell activation syndrome Medical cannabis Obsessive Compulsive Disorder Orthostatic hypotension Peripheral Neuropathy Porphyria Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder Postural orthostatic tachycardia

Cytotoxic T lymphocytes (CTLs) represent a subset of lymphocytes that are important for effective immune responses to a variety of pathogens including viruses. However, these cells have also been implicated in the development of various autoimmune diseases. This thesis investigates some of the factors that are important during the development of autoimmunity and immune responses. In one study presented here, the importance of high affinity interactions between TCR of naive, autoreactive T cells and peptide/MHC for the development of autoimmunity was evaluated. It was found that high affinity interactions are important for disease development, unless the T cell negative regulatory molecule Cbl-b was missing. The second study was different in that the importance of affinity of self-reactive T cells for peptide/MHC on the tissue was assessed. Surprisingly, high affinity interactions at the target recognition stage were crucial for T cell infiltration into the tissue and disease development. In the final study, the role of the E3 ubiquitin ligase Cbl-b in autoimmunity was evaluated. Using gene deficient animals and a transgenic model of diabetes, it was found that Cbl-b plays a variety of roles in the immune system. It is required to maintain immunological ignorance in vivo and its absence circumvents the need for APC maturation signals to break tolerance and induce autoimmunity. Furthermore, Cbl-b is important in limiting pathogen-induced immune responses. Together, these results contribute to the understanding of factors that regulate the development of autoimmunity.

The Mosaic of Autoimmunity: The Novel Factors of Autoimmune Diseases describes the multifactorial origin and diversity of expression of autoimmune diseases in humans. The term implies that different combinations of factors in autoimmunity produce varying and unique clinical pictures in a wide spectrum of autoimmune diseases. Most of the factors involved in autoimmunity can be categorized into four groups: genetic, immune defects, hormonal and environmental factors. In this book, the environmental factors are reviewed, including infectious agents, vaccines as triggers of autoimmunity, smoking and its relationship with rheumatoid arthritis, systemic lupus erythematosus, thyroid disease, multiple sclerosis and inflammatory bowel diseases. An entirely new syndrome, the autoimmune/inflammatory syndrome induced by adjuvants (ASIA), is also included, along with other diseases that are now recognized as having an autoimmune etiopathogenesis. Highlights the concept of the mosaic of autoimmune manifestations Includes new visions on unsuspected molecules Provides updated knowledge to physicians helping patients with autoimmune diseases Presents thorough, up-to-date information on specific diseases, along with clinical applications