Lupus is an autoimmune disease, a type of self-allergy whereby the patient s immune system overproduces antibodies which then attack the person s own tissues. The term Lupus represents a wide form of presentations ranging to a single localized lesion in the skin to the systemic form with its internal manifestations. Lupus is neither infectious nor contagious, and its effect is inflammatory.
Patients principally suffer extreme fatigue and joint and muscle pains.
A variety of other symptoms are possible, as well as damage to vital organs if the illness has taken a strong hold. Nine out of ten people with lupus are female, and whilst it is usually triggered between the ages of 15 and 50, children can also have the illness. Some 50,000 people in the UK are thought to have lupus, many yet to be diagnosed, with the incidence of the disease being greater in Afro-Caribbean and Asian communities. Causes The causes of lupus are not fully understood, although heredity, puberty, hormonal activity and change, childbirth, viral infections, sunlight, the menopause, trauma or strong medication may play a part in triggering the illness. Lupus can affect people of all ages and both sexes.