Daily India reports that scientists at the University of Washington in London have established a link between allergic diseases and autoimmune diseases. They say that allergic diseases may trigger autoimmune diseases by misdirecting the body's immune system.

Nearly 75 percent of autoimmune diseases occur in women, most frequently during the childbearing years, and they also comprise a significant portion of chronic childhood disorders.

Autoimmune disease refers to a group of more than 80 serious, chronic illnesses that include diseases of the nervous, gastrointestinal, and endocrine systems as well as skin and other connective tissues, eyes, blood, and blood vessel. Examples of autoimmune disease include rheumatoid arthrhitis, multiple sclerosis (MS), lupus, Graves' disease (overactive thyroid), and Hashimoto's disease (underactive thyroid).

The underlying problem in all these diseases is similar because in each of them the body's immune system, including B and/or T immune cells, becomes misdirected and attacks the very organs it was supposed to protect.

‘Our study implies that allergic and inflammatory diseases may actually trigger autoimmune diseases by relaxing the controls that normally eliminate newly produced, self-reactive B cells. This is important because many autoimmune diseases are caused by self-reactive antibodies produced by such B cells,’ says UW researcher Dr. David Rawlings. ‘In association with other UW laboratories, we also have begun to study drugs that can counter some of these effects. One such drug helps to prevent autoimmune kidney disease in a related animal model.’