title: The role of environmental factors in the pathogenesis of non-organ-specific autoimmune diseases.
abstract: The immune system must be able to discriminate between self and non-self. However, mechanisms of doing so sometimes fail, causing the activation and clonal expansion of autoreactive lymphocytes and the development of autoimmune conditions. Although some autoimmune diseases have heritable components, these components are not sufficient to develop an autoimmune condition. A variety of environmental factors have been described as possible triggers of autoimmune diseases, including drugs, infectious agents, smoking, vaccination and adjuvants. The aim of this chapter is to review the most common environmental factors associated with autoimmune diseases.
authors.affiliation: Internal Medicine Department, Universidade Federal do Pará, Belém-PA, Brazil.
authors.forename: Cezar Augusto
authors.initials: CA
authors.lastname: Muniz Caldas
authors.forename: Jozélio
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Freire de Carvalho
mesh_terms: D001172:Arthritis, Rheumatoid / Q000209:etiology; D001327:Autoimmune Diseases / Q000209:etiology*; D015551:Autoimmunity / Q000276:immunology; D059647:Gene-Environment Interaction; D006801:Humans; D007107:Immune System / Q000502:physiology; D008180:Lupus Erythematosus, Systemic / Q000209:etiology