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For those
of you how do not know what lupus is. Lupus is a chronic, autoimmune
disease which causes inflammation of various parts of the body, especially
the skin, joints, blood and kidneys. The body's immune system normally
makes proteins called antibodies to protect the body against viruses, bacteria
and other foreign materials. These foreign materials are called antigens.
In an autoimmune disorder such as lupus, the immune system loses its ability
to tell the difference between foreign substances (antigens) and its own
cells and tissue. The immune system then makes antibodies directed
against "itself." The immune complexes build up in the tissues and
can cause inflammation, injury to tissues, and pain.
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More people
have lupus than AIDS, cerebral palsy, multiple sclerosis, sickle-cell anemia
and cystic fibrosis combined. It is believed that between 1,400,000
and 2,000,000 people have been diagnosed with lupus.
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