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. 1999 Oct;107(Suppl 5):709–711. doi: 10.1289/ehp.99107s5709

Are there environmental forms of systemic autoimmune diseases?

E V Hess 1
PMCID: PMC1566256  PMID: 10502535

Abstract

A large number of drugs and an increasing number of environmental agents reportedly result in the appearance of a number of autoantibodies and in many instances in the appearance of a range of autoimmune clinical syndromes. The major disorders so recognized have marked resemblances to the autoimmune disease systemic lupus erythematosus. The commonly used term is drug-induced lupus; a better term is drug-related lupus. There is considerable interest at the present time in an increasing number of environmental agents. There have been two epidemics in recent years--one in Spain to a contaminant of rapeseed oil and one in the United States to a contaminant of l-tryptophan that caused an eosinophilic myositis. It is important for physicians and others involved in health care to recognize the potential associations of these diseases of unknown cause or causes.

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Selected References

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