CHANDIGARH: Autoimmune diseases are commonly known to weaken the body’s fighting mechanism and thereby affect the organs. But what is rarely known is that these diseases mostly attack the skin. To spread awareness about autoimmune diseases, a public lecture was organized on Sunday in Panchkula.

"Immune system plays an important role in a person maintaining health of a person. The body reacts in a variety of ways to autoimmune disorders, which cause a person’s immune system to attack its own tissues."

Dr Kalyani Bhola, Dermatologist at Alchemist Hospital said that depending on the condition, an autoimmune disorder can affect a variety of organs, joints and muscles, or other bodily tissues. One tissue that’s commonly affected by autoimmune disorders is the skin.

She informed that an auto-immune disorder can affect a variety of organs, joints and muscles, or other bodily tissues. One tissue that’s commonly affected by autoimmune disorders is the skin.

There are many different types of skin-related autoimmune disorders and Pemphigus is one of them. Pemphigus is a rare group of skin blistering disorders related to auto immunity which means patient’s own antibodies are reacting against normal skin to form this disease. Sometimes patient may require hospitalization if disease is widespread to control the disease which can be life threatening if not treated on time, added Dr Kalyani.

In this disease, patient can have large blisters over skin with sometimes involving mouth, nose, throat, eyes, and genitals. The scalp, face, neck and upper parts of the chest and back are most often affected. Pemphigus isn’t an infectious disease and it can be treated with medications. It is not caused by any kind of allergy with food or water, she maintained.

Although causes of the immune system misfire are not known yet some people are more likely to get an autoimmune disease than others.

Researchers believe that modification of life style including less physical activity with increased intake of fat, sugar, and highly processed foods along with some environmental factors are linked to inflammation, which might set off an immune response. However it has not been proven. Moreover children today aren’t exposed to as many germs as they were in the past because of vaccines and antiseptics. The lack of exposure could make their immune system overreact to harmless substances, asserted Dr Kalyani.

