How Much Do You Know About Autoimmune Diseases?

Autoimmune diseases can affect anyone, but women are at greater risk. These diseases also share common symptoms: fatigue, dizziness, and low-grade fever, according to the National Women’s Health Information Center. Test your knowledge of this serious—and mysterious—class of diseases.

1. Which of these is an autoimmune disease?

2. If you have an autoimmune disease, what happens with the immune system?

A. Your immune cells die B. Antibodies from your immune system mistakenly attack tissues in the body C. Your immune system makes too many immune cells D. None of the above

3. Autoimmune diseases strike which group more often?

A. Children younger than 12 B. Men older than 40 C. Women of childbearing age D. Women older than 50

4. What tissues, organs, or body systems can be affected by autoimmune diseases?

A. Skin B. Joints C. Thyroid D. All of the above

5. Lupus is more common among women in which ethnic group?

A. Caucasians B. African Americans C. Hispanics D. B and C

6. How does a person develop an autoimmune disease?

A. It may be triggered by a virus, such as mumps B. It may be a complication of an existing infection, such as strep throat C. It may be caused by exposure to an environmental agent D. Most do not have an obvious cause E. All of the above

7. Why are some autoimmune diseases difficult to diagnose?

A. Symptoms may be vague B. No specific lab tests exist to confirm a diagnosis C. Symptoms may come and go, making it hard to pinpoint the problem D. All of the above

8. Which of these autoimmune diseases can be cured?

A. Lupus B. Multiple sclerosis C. Scleroderma D. None of the above

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