Lupus: An Introduction

  So few have heard of it, yet worldwide it's  more common than all the incidents of leukaemia, multiple sclerosis & muscular dystrophy put together.

Over 30,000 people have the disease in the UK,  and just about 15,000 have been diagnosed in the Caribbean (of whom 90% are female). Men & young children can also be affected by lupus, but as the ratio of affected women to men  indicates(9:1), these cases are far less frequent.

Lupus is an autoimmune disease, a type of self-allergy, whereby the patient's immune system creates antibodies that attack the person's own body tissues,  instead of protecting the body from bacteria & viruses . This causes symptoms of extreme fatigue, joint pain, muscle aches, anemia, general malaise, & can result in the destruction of vital organs. It is a disease with many manifestations, & each person's profile or list of symptoms is different. Lupus can mimic other diseases, such as multiple sclerosis & rheumatoid arthritis,  thus making it very difficult to diagnose.

Currently there is no single test that can definitely say whether a person has lupus or not. Only by comprehensive examination and consideration of symptoms and their history can a diagnosis be achieved.
Lupus is neither infectious nor contagious.                                                                 

For more information click on one of the links below:

Types of Lupus
Triggers/Risk factors
Complications
Lupus and Genetics
Males with Lupus
Treatment
Lupus Fact Sheet
Frequently Asked Questions

Lupus Links for:
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