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Autoimmune Disease

By , About.com Guide

Updated April 08, 2009

About.com Health's Disease and Condition content is reviewed by the Medical Review Board

Definition: Autoimmune diseases are a group of diseases in which the body's immune system mistakes the body's own healthy tissues or organs as foreign. The cause behind this breakdown in the immune response is not well understood.

There are many diseases that are either proven or thought to be autoimmune-mediated. Some include:

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