title: [THE ENVIRONMENT AND AUTOIMMUNE DISEASES].
abstract: The immune system carefully distinguishes between self and non-self-components. Therefore, any small deviation of this balanced function may result in an autoimmune activity and harm against self-antigens (autoantigens). The link between autoimmune diseases and various heredity and environmental factors has been discussed in numerous studies. The infectious factor is still considered to be the most important environmental factor leading to the development of autoimmune disease. Recent studies associated new environmental factors to autoimmunity, such as excessive salt consumption. In this paper, we summarize the relationship between environmental factors and autoimmune diseases covering innovations in this field.
authors.forename: Abdulla
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Watad
authors.forename: Howard
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Amital
authors.forename: Yehuda
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Shoenfeld
mesh_terms: D001324:Autoantigens / Q000276:immunology; D001327:Autoimmune Diseases / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000209:etiology / Q000276:immunology; D003141:Communicable Diseases / Q000276:immunology*; D004781:Environmental Exposure / Q000009:adverse effects*; D059647:Gene-Environment Interaction; D040941:Heredity / Q000276:immunology*; D006801:Humans; D007107:Immune System / Q000276:immunology / Q000503:physiopathology
chemical_list: D001324:Autoantigens