Infections in Systemic Autoimmune Diseases: Risk Factors and Management, Volume Sixteen describes the state-of-the-art of the risk factors and management treating the most common systemic autoimmune diseases (SADS). This updated volume consists of an introductory chapter that provides a brief overview of what different types of infectious diseases exist, followed by eight chapters detailing risk factors, guidelines and recommendations per different disease and bacterial infections. International in scope, the list of more than 20 contributors from Europa and America reads like a who's who of clinical researchers in the field. - Written by leading international clinical/surgical and scientific experts on Infection problems in systemic autoimmune diseases - Provides a practical guide to the safer treatment of infections in patients with autoimmune diseases - Includes a number of problems and recommendation that cannot be found in other books - Designed as a 'guide to clinical practice' for management and risk interventions required by patients with SAD's

This book represents the state-of-the-art in the field of skin and autoimmune rheumatic diseases. It covers systematically a growing and multifaceted topic which is of great importance in the clinical practice. It also serves as a sharp educational tool as each chapter provides summaries and specific highlights to key references cited into the text. The pathophysiological link between skin involvement and autoimmunity has been explained in detail, as well as diagnostic and therapeutic aspects.This book yields an impressive body of well ordered information which summarizes the experience of a selected panel of distinguished physicians and scientists actively involved in the field of skin immunology and systemic autoimmunity.* Written by a respected panel of distinguished physician-scientists actively involved in the field of skin immunology and systemic autoimmunity* Box summaries at the end of each chapter highlight important topics * Up-to-date basic knowledge as well as modern approach to diagnosis and therapy

Designed as an introductory textbook, Infection, Resistance and Immunity provides basic information on the workings of the immunological system and on infectious processes and their control. With sections on immunological disorders, immunization, immunodiagnosis, and epidemiology, it relates immunology to practical problems in medicine. The book includes a section on comparative immunology, introducing students to differences among immunological systems among common species of nonhuman animals. Written for the advanced undergraduate, the focus is on host-parasite interactions—distinguishing this text from other standard texts, which focus on the cellular mechanisms of the immune response.

A complete guide to understanding the mysterious and often difficult-to-pinpoint disorders of the immune system--and finding the keys to diagnosis, treatment, and recovery. An estimated fifty million people suffer from symptoms including fatigue, joint pains, depression, or heart palpitations — signs that the immune system has turned on itself, causing conditions such as thyroid disease, hepatitis, or multiple sclerosis. And while doctors may prescribe treatments to relieve these surface ailments, when asked about the life-long health implications of an autoimmune condition, they often just shrug their shoulders. Yet much like cancer, having one autoimmune disease puts you at high risk for developing another, and understanding the underlying immune process can reverse a patients approach to a dysfunction--for the author, it changed the way she ate, the vitamins and supplements she took, and the types of doctors she visited. Living Well with Autoimmune Disease is the first book that goes beyond the conventional treatments by showing you how to work on your underlying autoimmune dysfunction with natural and alternative therapies.

Presence of autoantibodies is usually a sign of autoimmune disease, although low levels of autoantibodies may also be found in healthy individuals. The discovery of autoantibodies and their associations with autoimmune disease have improved the knowledge of disease mechanisms in autoimmunity as well as clinical diagnostics over the years. Lack of immune tolerance and increased production of antibodies directed against self-antigens may induce or drive autoimmune disease as clearly demonstrated for TSH receptor antibodies in Graves’ disease. Autoantibodies could also be a biomarker of an autoimmune disease, but without distinct pathophysiologic relevance; this could be exemplified by smooth muscle antibodies (SMA) in autoimmune hepatitis. Most autoimmune diseases, e.g., systemic lupus erythematosus, myositis and Sjögren’s syndrome, are however characterized by a mixture of autoantibodies of varying degrees of pathogenic potentiality, and which can be used to guide the physician to a correct diagnosis or prognosticate disease severity, disease manifestations, or response to treatments. Neither the discovery of autoantibodies nor their connection to autoimmune diseases constitutes new knowledge. However, new autoantibodies of clinical relevance are continuously discovered, and novel application areas for “old” autoantibodies appear. Since autoantibodies may aid clinical decisions regarding diagnostics, follow-up, prognostics, and tailored treatment strategies, it is of importance to optimize the use of known autoantibodies as well as to discover new autoantibodies of clinical relevance.

The lymphatic system plays a key role in fighting out the bacteria infested in the human body. More importantly, it aids in the fight against disease. Inside the lymphatic system, lymph vessels widen to produce lymph nodes. These lymph nodes usually appear under the arm or neck of those who are sick or infected. If cells continue to swell or multiply, they can often be considered as cancerous. Lymphoma is the actual type of cancerous cell that spreads throughout the lymphatic system. One main group of cells that spread within lymphatic system is Hodgkin's Disease, which is recognised by its growth of Reed-Sternberg cells. This book presents cutting edge research from around the world.

Stem cell transplantation may be complicated by treatment-related mortality and like the immune system that it regenerates has equal potential to either create and preserve or destroy. The dual nature that defines stem cells is differentiation that ultimately leads to death and self-renewal, which leads to immortality. What types of stem cells are there? How are they collected? What are their attributes and characteristics? This textbook devotes many chapters to familiarize the reader with the basic science, clinical aspects, and new questions being raised in the field of stem cell biology. Blood stem cells for tolerance and tissue regeneration are a rapidly developing research and clinical field that is being applied to autoimmune diseases. In clinical trials, autologous hematopoietic (blood) stem cells are being used to reduce the cytopenic interval following intense immune suppressive transplant regimens. While as yet not delineated, some possible mechanisms and pathways leading to tolerance after hematopoietic stem cell transplantation are suggested in these chapters. Tissue regeneration from blood stem cells is also suggested by animal experiments on stem cell plasticity or metamoirosis (i.e., change in fate) as described within this textbook. Ongoing early clinical trials on tissue regeneration from blood stem cells are described in the chapter on stem cell therapy for cardiac and peripheral vascular disease. Whether autologous hematopoietic stem cells, through the process of mobilization and reinfusion, may be manipulated to contribute to tissue repair in autoimmune diseases is a future area for translational research.