Environment/Drug-Induced Human Autoimmune Disease

Autoimmune diseases comprise a broad spectrum of disorders that share the common basic mechanism of an uncontrolled response to 'self.' While there are some instances where there is a clear genetic predisposition to development of autoimmune disease in humans, for the most part the mechanisms and contributing factors are as complex as the diseases themselves. It seems likely that the greatest proportion of susceptibility to autoimmune disease is due to external, environmental agents, the focus of this chapter. Included in the discussion are environmental agents such as drugs, metals and inorganic compounds, organic compounds, foods, and occupational exposures.