AUTOIMMUNE DISEASES A-Z List

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The enclosed Autoimmune Diseases List (A-Z) is a compilation of autoimmune diseases from various medical and research centres, recognised around the world.

Autoimmune.org (Autoimmune Association) 

Autoimmuneinstitute.org (Global Autoimmune Institute)

The National Institutes of Health (NIH) Genetic and Rare Diseases Information Center (GARD)

The National Center for Biotechnology Information (National Library of Medicine)

PMC - PubMed Central 

Mayo Clinic

Mayo Foundation for Medical Education and Research (MFMER)

American Thoracic Society

Sjögren's Foundation

Aa... 

Aa... 

Aa... 

Ad...

Ad...

Ae...

Where: Digestive System

Ah...

Ah...

Am...

Ah

Balo

Behcet ...

BMP...

BC...

BP...

CREST syndrome - an acronym for: 

Calcinosis

Raynaud’s phenomenon

Esophageal dysfunction

Sclerodactyly

Telangiectasia

Where: Digestive System

CCS...

COP...

DH...

Where: Skin and Blood Vessels

Dd...

Dl...

Ds...

Gca...

Gcm...

G...

Gs...

GPA...

Where: Endocrine System

Where: Nervous System

IgA n

IgG4...

ITP...

IMNM...

IBM...

IC...

IC...

IC...

IC...

Kawasaki disease, also known as mucocutaneous lymph node syndrome, primarily affects children and is characterized by inflammation of medium-sized arteries throughout the body, particularly the coronary arteries, which can lead to heart complications. 

The condition also impacts the lymph nodes, skin, and mucous membranes of the nose, mouth, and throat. 

Md...

Mpa...

MCTD...

111

Muc...

MMP...

MMN...

Where: Nervous System

Where: Systemic (including neurological, immune, digestive, cardiac and energy metabolism / energy production) 

Myalgic encephalomyelitis (ME), also known as Chronic fatigue syndrome (CFS), is characterised by overwhelming tiredness, that is not improved by rest. 

Those with the condition suffer from fatigue - that is so severe - it inhibits them from performing daily activities. 

Cognitive and sleep issues are also common in ME/CFS patients. 

Due to its similar appearance to other illnesses, diagnosis is challenging. 

ME/CFS is chronic and sometimes unpredictable, with symptoms and severity fluctuating over time. 

Emotional Contributing Factors - Research

Reference (1):  NEM, S-H., Hayes, LD., Mclaughlin, M., Berry, ECJ., and Sculthorpe, NF. (2025)    Post-traumatic Stress Disorder in People with Long COVID, ME/CFS, and Controls. 

The American Journal of Medicine. 2025; Apr;138(4):742-749. 

Reference (2):  Fennell, P.A., Dorr, N. and George, S.S. (2021). Elements of Suffering in Myalgic Encephalomyelitis/Chronic Fatigue Syndrome: The Experience of Loss, Grief, Stigma, and Trauma in the Severely and Very Severely Affected. Healthcare (Basel, Switzerland). Healthcare (Basel, Switzerland). 2021 May 9;9(5):553. 

Reference (3):  Krzeczkowska, A., Karatzias, T. and Dickson, A. (2015). Pain in people with chronic fatigue syndrome/myalgic encephalomyelitis: the role of traumatic stress and coping strategies. Psychology, health and medicine. 2015;20(2):210-6.    

Where: Nervous System

MOG...

Where: Joints and Muscles

Pr...

PPP..

PANDAS...

PCD...

Pp...

PNH...

PRS...

P-T...

Pp...

PG...

PF...

PV...

Progesterone dermatitis is a rare condition characterized by a cyclic skin rash which develops premenstrually in women. 

The condition usually occurs in adulthood after the start of periods (menarche), and rarely during pregnancy or postmenopause. 

Signs and symptoms vary among affected individuals; skin findings that have been reported include hives, erythema multiforme, papulovesicles (an eczema-like rash), annular erythema, angiodema, mouth erosions and pruritus (itching). 

Parry Romberg syndrome is a rare disorder characterized by slowly progressive deterioration (atrophy) of the skin and soft tissues of half of the face (hemifacial atrophy), usually the left side. An autoimmune mechanism is suspected, and the syndrome may be a variant of localized scleroderma. It is more common in females than in males. Initial facial changes usually involve the tissues above the upper jaw (maxilla) or between the nose and the upper corner of the lip (nasolabial fold) and subsequently progress to the angle of the mouth, areas around the eye, the brow, the ear, and the neck.  

Source: https://rarediseases.info.nih.gov/diseases/7338/progressive-hemifacial-atrophy 

Where: Skin and Blood Vessels

Psoriasis is a skin disease that causes itchy or sore patches of thick, red skin with silvery scales. 

One usually gets the patches on their elbows, knees, scalp, back, face, palms and feet, but they can show up on other parts of your body. Some people who have psoriasis also get a form of arthritis called psoriatic arthritis. 

A problem with your immune system causes psoriasis.  

Where: Skin and Blood Vessels

Some people with psoriasis have psoriatic arthritis. It causes pain, stiffness, and swelling of the joints. It is often mild, but can sometimes be serious and affect many joints. 

The joint and skin problems don’t always happen at the same time. 

Causes:  

Psoriatic arthritis occurs when your body's immune system attacks healthy cells and tissue. 

The immune response causes inflammation in your joints as well as overproduction of skin cells.

It seems likely that both genetic and environmental factors play a role in this immune system response. 

Many people with psoriatic arthritis have a family history of either psoriasis or psoriatic arthritis. Researchers have discovered certain genetic markers that appear to be associated with psoriatic arthritis.

Physical trauma or something in the environment — such as a viral or bacterial infection — might trigger psoriatic arthritis in people with an inherited tendency.

Source: Mayo Foundation for Medical Education and Research (MFMER) 

Pulmonary alveolar proteinosis, commonly known as PAP, is a rare lung syndrome that occurs in about 7 people per million in the general population, affecting both men and women of all ethnicities, regardless of socioeconomic class. 

Although primarily affecting people 30 to 50 years old, PAP can occur at any age. 

In PAP, there is the buildup of surfactant in the air sacs of the lungs (alveoli) that leads to problems getting oxygen into the body. Surfactant, a naturally produced fluid in the lungs, is normally present in the lungs at a certain level, yet if extra surfactant is not cleared properly, it can build up and cause difficulty breathing and other respiratory issues.

The 3 main causes of PAP are autoimmune, congenital, and secondary. 

Over 90% of people with PAP have the autoimmune form. 

In the autoimmune form, an antibody is formed that limits normal protein function (or macrophage function). This antibody is called granulocyte-macrophage colonystimulating factor (GM-CSF). 

The GM-CSF antibody prevents the growth of cells called macrophages, which are responsible for removing the extra surfactant from the air sacs in the lungs. The surfactant builds up and hinders oxygen getting in and carbon dioxide getting out of the body through the air sacs.

Source: American Thoracic Society - https://site.thoracic.org/  

Pure red cell aplasia (PRCA) is an uncommon disorder in which maturation (growth) arrest occurs in the formation of erythrocytes (red blood cells). 

Secondary PRCA occurs in patients with conditions such as autoimmune disorders, thymomas, systemic lupus erythematosus, hematologic malignancies, and solid tumors. 

Pyoderma gangrenosum is an uncommon, ulcerative cutaneous condition of uncertain etiology (cause). It is associated with systemic autoimmune related diseases in at least 50% of patients who are affected. The diagnosis is made by excluding other causes of similar-appearing cutaneous ulcerations, including infection, malignancy, vasculitis, collagen vascular diseases, diabetes, and trauma. 

Narrowing of arteries that carry blood from the heart to other parts of the body, known as vasospasm attacks, results in reduced blood flow in the fingers and toes and is typically triggered by cold temperatures and emotional stress. 

Formerly referred to as Reiter’s syndrome, reactive arthritis causes inflammation in various joints in the body, especially the knees, feet, toes, hips and ankles. 

It typically develops following an infection (particularly sexually transmitted) or food poisoning. 

It is a form of autoimmune arthritis or joint inflammation, that occurs as a “reaction” to an infection elsewhere in the body. Besides this joint inflammation, reactive arthritis is associated with two other symptoms: redness and inflammation of the eyes (conjunctivitis) and inflammation of the urinary tract (urethritis). 

These symptoms may occur alone, together, or not at all. 

Relapsing polychondritis is a rare disease in which cartilage in many areas of the body becomes inflamed. 

The disease most commonly affects the ears, nose and the airways of the lungs. 

The cause is not known, and it occurs most often in people in their 50s or 60s. 

One theory is that polychondritis might be an autoimmune disease, in which the immune system attacks the body rather than foreign invaders such as viruses. In polychondritis, it’s possible that a triggering event, perhaps an infection, sets off a reaction by the immune system, which unleashes an attack on the body’s cartilage. 

Some people may have a genetic makeup that makes them more prone to this. The disease does not seem to run in families. It sometimes appears in people who have other disease, such as rheumatoid arthritis, vasculitis (inflammation of blood vessels) and systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE or lupus). 

Source:  https://rarediseases.info.nih.gov/diseases/7417/relapsing-polychondritis 

Rheumatic fever is a disease that affects the heart, joints, brain, and skin and can cause permanent damage to the heart if left untreated.  

Although the causal link between strep throat/scarlet fever and rheumatic fever is still undetermined, rheumatic fever has been shown to develop following improperly treated strep throat and scarlet fever cases caused by group A streptococcus infections of the throat. 

Where: Joints and Muscles (and Systemic)

Rheumatoid arthritis (RA) is a form of arthritis that causes pain, swelling, stiffness and loss of function in your joints. 

It can affect any joint but is common in the wrist and fingers. 

More women than men get rheumatoid arthritis. It often starts in middle age and is most common in older people. Children and young adults can also get it. 

One might have the disease for only a short time, or symptoms might come and go. 

The severe form can last a lifetime. 

Rheumatoid arthritis is different from osteoarthritis, the common arthritis that often comes with older age. 

RA can affect body parts besides joints, such as your eyes, mouth and lungs. 

RA is an autoimmune disease, which means the arthritis results from your immune system attacking your body’s own tissues. No one knows what causes rheumatoid arthritis. Genes, environment and hormones might contribute. Treatments include medicine, lifestyle changes and surgery. These can slow or stop joint damage and reduce pain and swelling. 

Emotional Contributing Factors - Research

John A. Sturgeon, Patrick H. Finan and Alex J. Zautra (2016) explained that chronic stress may activate the sympathetic nervous system and dysregulate the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) axis, leading to increased inflammation. 

This heightened inflammatory response can exacerbate RA symptoms and potentially contribute to disease progression.

Reference (1): John A. Sturgeon, Patrick H. Finan and Alex J. Zautra (2016). Affective disturbance in rheumatoid arthritis: psychological and disease-related pathways. Nat Rev Rheumatology. 2016 

Jul 14;12(9):532–542. 

Carsten Spitzer, Stefanie Wegert, Jürgen Wollenhaupt, Katja Wingenfeld, Sven Barnow and Hans Joergen Grabe (2013) conducted a case-control study and found that women with a history of childhood trauma, including emotional abuse and neglect, had a higher risk of developing RA compared to those without such histories. 

The study suggests that early life stress may disrupt neuro-endocrine-immune networks, increasing RA susceptibility. 

Reference (2): Carsten Spitzer, Stefanie Wegert, Jürgen Wollenhaupt, Katja Wingenfeld, Sven Barnow and Hans Joergen Grabe (2013). Gender-specific association between childhood trauma and rheumatoid arthritis: A case-control study. Journal of Psychosomatic Research. 2013. Volume 74, Issue 4: 296-300.

M A Lumley, J E Kelley and J C Leisen (1997) also found that how individuals process and express emotions can influence RA outcomes. 

For instance, increased expression of negative emotions and frequent thoughts about stressful events were associated with greater pain and physical dysfunction in RA patients. 

Reference (3): M A Lumley, J E Kelley and J C Leisen (1997). Health effects of emotional disclosure in rheumatoid arthritis patients. Journal of Health Psychology. 1997.  Apr;2(2):255-64.