Autoimmune disease is an umbrella term for diseases whose cause is an exuberant reaction of the immune system against the body's own tissue, as in glossodynia. Autoimmune diseases are usually intermittent, chronically recurring and are caused by immunological, damaging reactions against the body's own structures.
Autoimmune diseases are diseases in which the immune system considers parts of the body to be foreign and therefore attacks healthy cells.
In autoimmune diseases the body fights against itself. In most cases, autoantibodies are detectable. The frequency of antibodies increases with age and is greater than 10% in a normal population over the age of 60!
As a result, strong defensive reactions in the form of inflammation and fever occur. Affected tissues are severely impaired in their function.
Autoinfection is a self-infection with the body's own microorganisms.