Palmoplantar psoriasis is one of the most common forms of psoriasis. Psoriasis is predominantly an autoimmune disease. Normally the immune system is activated by viruses, bacteria and other infections. However, in the case of psoriasis, the immune...
Chlamydia-induced arthritis is a type of reactive arthritis, also called Reiter's syndrome. Reactive arthritis can be caused by a number of different organisms, but chlamydia is the most common cause in the Western world, according to "Current...
Reactive arthritis, which used to be known as Reiter’s syndrome, is a form of arthritis that causes swollen and painful joints. This inflammation in the joints is usually accompanied by inflammation of the eyes or conjunctivitis and...
The first part of the bone marrow donation process is called matching. This important step minimizes the risk that the recipient's body will reject the transplant.. The most common way of checking for "matching" uses proteins called human...
Type 1 diabetes is an autoimmune disease in which the immune cells of the body attack and destroy the cells in the pancreas that secrete insulin. Hereditary factors, diet and viral infection contribute to the risk of developing type 1 diabetes....
First, the recipient and donor of the bone marrow must be prepared for the procedure. A thorough evaluation, physical exam and medical history must be performed on each, and tests must be performed to ensure that blood and tissue match between the...
Psoriasis is a condition where the cells of the skin grow too fast, leading to red patches that can become itchy and inflamed. White blood cells that are produced by the body to fight bacteria fight normal tissue as well, which causes the skin and...
Unlike some diseases that are controlled by a single gene, almost 20 known genes can be involved in developing type 1 diabetes. The complex interaction among them can affect whether a child is diabetic. The American Diabetes Association reports...
Rheumatoid arthritis is one of a number of autoimmune diseases, meaning it occurs because the body's natural defense system, which is designed to fight off disease and infection, isn't working properly. In the case of RA, the result is...
Bone marrow transplants (BMT) are treatments for blood, immune system or genetic disorders. The most common diseases treated by BMT are cancers, inherited immune disorders and sickle cell disease. A donor provides the cells used in allogeneic...
Keloid scarring occurs after damage to the skin in susceptible individuals. This injury can be minor such as acne, an insect bite or body piercing. Keloid scars behave like benign growths, but unlike other scars, they extend beyond the original...
Rheumatoid arthritis (RA) is an autoimmune disease characterized by chronic inflammation, joint stiffening and pain affecting multiple joints throughout the body, especially of the hands, wrists and feet. It commonly consists of morning stiffness...
Apoptosis is the process in which specific cells of a multi-cellular organism die in a non-traumatic, deliberate, pre-programmed and orderly fashion. The death of the cell happens not by accident, but intentionally for the health and development...
Cord blood is the blood that remains inside a baby's umbilical cord after it's been cut. Cord blood, like bone marrow, is incredibly rich in stem cells, which are like the body's master cells that can transform into any type of cell in the human...
Lupus is an autoimmune disease that causes the immune system to overreact, making it hard for the body to distinguish between foreign invaders and its own tissues and cells. Because of this, the immune system forms antibodies, which causes the...
Human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) is a retrovirus that progressively destroys CD4+ lymphocytes, making the body susceptible to attack by foreign infectious agents and numerous forms of cancer. HIV infection is tested via enzyme-linked...
Different people have different reasons for wanting to give stem cells. For some, they have a friend or family member with whom they are a match in type. Others just want to save lives, regardless of if they know the person or not. If you want to...
Sunburn -- red, painful skin caused by excessive ultraviolet light, whether from sunlight or tanning bed-- usually develops within several hours of exposure. The MayoClinic website advises calling a doctor if your sunburn blisters, covers a large...
A bone marrow transplant can be helpful in replacing damaged or destroyed bone marrow needed by the body for the production of blood cells. Bone marrow transplants are used to treat multiple disorders, such as lymphoma, leukemia, multiple myeloma,...
Bone marrow transplantation is a treatment for leukemia, lymphoma, multiple myeloma and various immunodeficiency disorders. Since the adverse side effects of this treatment are so extreme, it is usually attempted when other treatments have...
Reactive arthritis, also known as Reiter's syndrome, is an autoimmune disorder characterized by the typical symptoms of arthritis, such as pain and swelling in the joints. However, as the term implies, reactive arthritis occurs in response to...
Cord blood is stem cell rich blood collected from the umbilical cord after delivery. Because stem cells can grow into many different types of cells, including blood cells, banked cord blood can be used to treat some cancers, anemia and genetic...
Narcolepsy, a chronic sleep disorder, impairs your sleep by impacting the central nervous system and the ability of your brain to control normal sleep-wake cycles. Researchers have found a link between narcoleptic episodes and underlying...
When a baby is born, more than one precious thing enters the world. It has been found that the blood in the umbilical cord and placenta has special medical uses. Parents may choose to have the cord blood harvested. They may want the blood reserved...
According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, about 20 million people in the United States are currently infected with the sexually transmitted disease human papillomavirus (HPV). The immune system normally clears the HPV virus in...
The plant-based polyphenol compounds known as phytoestrogens have a structure similar to the most potent human estrogen hormone estradiol, according to the journal "Integrative Medicine." Phytoestrogens are present in a variety of whole grains,...
Omega-3 fatty acids, such as those found in flaxseed and fish oils, have garnered a lot of attention over the past decade for their purported health benefits. The Center for Genetics, Nutrition and Health reports that increased consumption of...
Leukocytes, or white blood cells, are vital to the body's ability to fight off infection and promote healing. There are five types of leukocytes, each with distinct morphologies and functions. According to Gary Thibodeau, PhD, and Kevin Patton,...
Psoriasis is a chronic inflammatory disorder in which the immune system mistakenly stimulates skin cells to reproduce too quickly. Although psoriasis isn't a life-threatening condition, it can have great psychological impact and also trigger a...