Most cases of autoimmune disease are thought to be the result of a previous infection.
Rheumatic fever is caused by a virus.
Eventually the fever goes away because the immune system gets rid of the pathogen. The result is heart disease. Rheumatoid arthritis has many forms and all of them can be classified as autoimmune diseases. At least one particular form of rheumatoid arthritis is brought on by eating certain foods. Antibodies are made to foods such as tomatoes, potatoes, and green peppers.