title: Polymyositis-dermatomyositis and infections.
abstract: In genetically predisposed individuals, viruses, bacteria, or parasitic infectious agents are suspected to induce autoimmunity and/or to exacerbate the disease once the self-tolerance is broken. Although direct evidence for this association is still lacking, numerous data from animal models as well as from humans support the hypothesis of a direct contribution of pathogens to the induction of several autoimmune diseases. This review focused on the possible role of infectious agents as triggers of autoimmunity in polymyositis (PM) and dermatomyositis (DM). Epidemiological studies, clinical and experimental findings that support the hypothesis of infection-induced PM and DM are summarized and discussed. In addition, immune response abnormalities and immunosuppressive medications may be responsible for the high percentage of infectious complications in PM and DM patients. In this review, the increased risk of developing infections in these patients is also underlined and published data are reported.
authors.affiliation: University of Padova, Division of Rheumatology, Department of Clinical and Experimental Medicine, Italy.
authors.forename: Sandra
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Zampieri
authors.forename: Anna
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Ghirardello
authors.forename: Luca
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Iaccarino
authors.forename: Chiara
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Briani
authors.forename: Piercarlo
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Sarzi-Puttini
authors.forename: F
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Atzeni
authors.forename: Silvia
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Arienti
authors.forename: Silvano
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Todesco
authors.forename: Andrea
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Doria
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D001323:Autoantibodies / Q000276:immunology; D001327:Autoimmune Diseases / Q000209:etiology* / Q000276:immunology; D003882:Dermatomyositis / Q000150:complications / Q000209:etiology* / Q000276:immunology; D004195:Disease Models, Animal; D006801:Humans; D007239:Infections / Q000150:complications* / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000209:etiology / Q000276:immunology; D017285:Polymyositis / Q000150:complications / Q000209:etiology* / Q000276:immunology; D017634:Self Tolerance / Q000276:immunology
chemical_list: D001323:Autoantibodies