Question

Rosa has been diagnosed with systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE). She recognizes that this is one of the disorders that is referred to as an autoimmune disorder.

1. What could you tell her that describes this type of disease (autoimmune)?
2. Provide an example of another autoimmune disease.
3. In your response describe the manifestations (signs & symptoms) of the disease in #2.
4. What are opportunistic infections?
5. What specific immunodeficiency leads to the development of opportunistic infections in AIDS patients?

Answer 1

1. Rosa is diagnosed by a system lupus erythematous commonly known as SLE which is a autoimmune disease

Autoimmune disease occur when the immune system of the body could not recognize or fail to recognize the self from non self cells and start destroying the self cells of the body

In these disorder there is destruction of the self cells which is due to production of self cell antibodies .

SLE is a classical example of systemic autoimmune or collagen disorder

Lups is derived from the latin name wolf since initially this disease was believe to be affecting the skin only .

Antibodies are produced in this disorder are antinuclear antibodies

Antibodies to double stranded dna

Antismith antibodies in which antibodies are produced for smith antigen

I would also like to share some other etiology cause of the disease like

Genetic factors

Certain drug factors eg penicillamine D

Certain viral infection eg EBV infection

Certain harmones eg oestrogen

2. Other autoimmune disorder is SCLERODERMA

Initially just like SLE scleroderma was also know for skin disease but know there are of two types

Diffuse scleroderma in which skin involvement is more

CREST SYNDROME

C- calcinosis

R-raynauds phenomenon

E- esophageal hypomotality

S- sclerodactyly

T- telangiectasia

Manifestation of scleroderma

Claw like flexion and defomility in hands

Raynaud's phenomenon

Oesophageal fibrosis

Malabsorption syndrome

Respiratory distress

Malignant hypertension

Biliary cirrhosis

3. Opportunistic infection are the infections caused by the pathogen which take advantage of the opportunities when the host immune response is not strong or weakened these infection does not occur in normal humans as the opportunistic pathogen are destroyed by the body immune system

Example of opportunistic infections in HIV infections

M tuberculosis

Candidiasis

Aspergillosis

Coccidioidomycosis

Toxoplasmosis

Cryptosporidiosis

Kaposi's sarcoma

4.in HIV infection the virus attack the CD4 cells such as T4 helper cells

And start destroying the cells

When CD4 cells count is fallen below 200 per mm cube the titre of virus increase markedly and there is irreversible breakdown of immune system the defence mechanism of the body . And as soon as the immune system is weakened the opportunistic infection occur and person die due to opportunistic infection and malignancies

This condition of HIV is defined as AIDS

AIDS is the end result of HIV infections

Hope you find this helpful thankyou ☺️