Lupus Health Center

Lupus (systemic lupus erythematosus, or SLE) is an autoimmune disease, in which the immune system attacks the body's own tissues as though they were foreign substances. Lupus is not contagious.

No one knows exactly what causes the body to attack its own tissues. A person may be born with a certain genetic makeup that affects how the immune system functions or makes him or her at risk for lupus. A combination of factors can trigger the autoimmune process, some of which may affect one person but not another.

• Exposure to ultraviolet light, usually from sunlight, is known to trigger the disease process and symptom flares.
• People wonder whether the hormones estrogen and progesteronecause lupus because these hormones are at much higher levels in women and women are much more likely to get lupus. Hormones, including hormones used for hormone replacement therapy or birth control, don't cause lupus. But they may have some effect on it. Birth control pills have low levels of hormones, and to not appear to make lupus worse. In fact, hormone levels are much higher during pregnancy than they are when a woman takes birth control pills. Later in life, the decision about taking hormone replacement therapy is made by each woman and her doctor, based on her lupus and other factors.
• Smoking may increase the risk of getting lupus and may make the disease more severe.
• Some medicines are suspected triggers of lupus and symptom flares.
• Some infections are suspected triggers. Some people who have cytomegalovirus (CMV), parvovirus (such as fifth disease), and hepatitis C infections eventually develop lupus. The Epstein-Barr virus has been linked to lupus in children.
• Chemical exposure has been reported to trigger lupus. Suspected chemical toxins include trichloroethylene in well water and silica dust. Hair dyes and straighteners, linked to lupus in the past, are no longer considered to be lupus triggers.