To Treat or Not to Treat: Infections in Autoimmunity

In this 171st episode, I discuss a messy, though fascinating paradox: Infections can trigger autoimmune disease, they can worsen existing autoimmunity, and—surprisingly—some infections can actually protect against it. We’ll unpack the science, from molecular culprits and autoantibodies to the surprising role of helminths (parasitic worms) and peptides like tuftsin, and explore how clinicians decide when to treat an infection and when to let biology do its balancing act. Citations:Infections and autoimmunity--friends or foes?https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/19643667/Infections: a double-edged sword in autoimmunityhttps://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/29847440/Parasitic worms and inflammatory diseaseshttps://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/16965287/Helminth-Related Tuftsin-Phosphorylcholine Compound andits Interplay with Autoimmune Diseaseshttps://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/30905098/