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Blue Cross Blue Shield of Massachusetts


What Do You Know About Your Immune System?

By Chris Woolston
CONSUMER HEALTH INTERACTIVE

You owe your life to your immune system. Without all of those antibodies and white blood cells and other warriors working in your defense, your body would soon be overridden with infections and cancers. But there's another side to the immune system. Like an army that suddenly turns against itself, the cells of the immune system can start attacking the body, resulting in an autoimmune disease. Millions of Americans live with some form of autoimmune disease. How much do you know about these disorders? Take this short quiz to find out.


1. Which of these conditions is NOT a common autoimmune disease?

a. Type 1 diabetes
b. Psoriasis
c. Rheumatoid arthritis
d. AIDS

2. Autoimmune disorders are often contagious.

True
False

3. Autoimmune disorders often run in families.

True
False

4. Doctors can usually pinpoint the cause of an autoimmune disorder.

True
False

5. In general, women are more likely than men to develop autoimmune diseases such as lupus, rheumatoid arthritis, and multiple sclerosis.

True
False

6. Which of these autoimmune disorders can be treated with drugs that suppress the immune system?

a. Multiple sclerosis
b. Psoriasis
c. Rheumatoid arthritis
d. All of the above



First published Dec 18, 2003


Last updated Jul 24, 2007


Copyright © 2003 Consumer Health Interactive, a CVS Caremark company