The auto-immune diseases listed above belong to an interrelated atopic group of diseases and in many cases these interact. That means, for example, that some neurodermatitis patients also tend to suffer from asthma or allergies and hay fever.
Asthmatics suffer from narrowing of the bronchial tubes.
Allergics suffer from an excessive immune reaction of the body to allergens. What happens is that the histamine stored in the mast leucocytes is released into the blood causing unpleasant reactions. An imbalance in the immune system is associated with weakened resistance to disease. This means a greater susceptibility to influenzal infections and viral infections of the skin and mucous membranes by herpes viruses. The body's own resistance to bacteria such as streptococci and staphylococci is diminished.