Table of Contents
- What is an Allergy?
- What is Autoimmunity?
Allergies and autoimmunity are conditions related to the immune system. Allergies are reactions which are brought about when the immune system reacts to foreign substances in the environment. Autoimmunity is a system of responses from the immune system against the body’s healthy cells and tissues.
What is an Allergy?
An allergy is an immunological hypersensitivity mediated by immunoglobulin E antibody (IgE). It is not related to any disease or infections. Allergies can be seen in many organs, but most commonly, they affect the skin and mucous membranes.
Our body is sensitive to specific particles in the environment, and these particles are called allergens. Allergies aremostly a type of antigen that produces an abnormally vigorous immune response.
Certain features of allergies are explained below:
- Common allergens include pollen, dust, feathers, animal dander, mites, latex and even certain types of food.
- The symptoms of allergies typically include sneezing, coughing, running nose, itchy rashes, red eyes, and difficulty in breathing and swallowing.
- Allergies are caused due to the release of chemicals such as histamine and serotonin.
- In response to the allergens, our body produces antibodies called immunoglobulin E antibodies (IgE).
- Antihistamine, adrenaline, and steroids are the few drugs which are given to reduce the symptoms of allergy.
- In severe reactions, adrenaline (epinephrine) is injected into the body.
- An allergy to at least one allergen is widespread throughout the world.
- However, with the modern lifestyle, people are more prone to allergies due to low immunity and high sensitivity to the environment.
What is Autoimmunity?
Autoimmunity is the system of immune responses of an organism against its healthy cells and tissues. A disease which results due to this kind of response is called an autoimmune disease.
The higher vertebrates are capable of recognising foreign antigens. Due to the memory-based acquired immunity, their immune system could very well distinguish between its cells and the foreign organisms. However, due to a genetic condition or some other unknown reason, the body attacks its own cells. The resulting diseases are called autoimmune diseases. The most common example of an autoimmune disease is rheumatoid arthritis (RA). Others are Addison’s disease, Graves’ disease, polymyositis (PM), etc.
Similarities Between Allergies and Autoimmunity
The main similarities between the two are as follows:
- Both symptom results in a general feeling of fatigue and sickness.
- Itching is a common symptom of both allergies and autoimmune diseases.
- Both allergies and autoimmune diseases cause some sort of redness or swelling, due to the higher immune response.
Differences Between Allergies and Autoimmune Disease
The main difference between autoimmunediseases and allergies are summarised in the table as follows:
Allergies | Autoimmune Disease |
| A condition in which the immune system reacts abnormally to a foreign substance. | An autoimmune disease is a condition in which the immune system mistakenly attacks healthy cells and tissues of the body. |
| The allergies are mainly caused by external triggers such as pollens, certain foods, medicines, insects, animals, etc. | Autoimmune diseases are the results of an internal trigger to the body’s own cells. |
| Examples include skin allergy, sinusitis, asthma, watery eyes, sneezing, and itchy nose and eyes. | Examples include type 1 diabetes, multiple sclerosis, rheumatoid arthritis, inflammatory bowel disease, etc. |
Frequently Asked Questions
Q1
1. What is an allergy?
An allergy is an immunological hypersensitivity mediated by immunoglobulin E antibody (IgE). It is not related to any disease or infections.
Q2
2. What is autoimmunity?
Autoimmunity is the system of immune responses of an organism against its own healthy cells and tissues.
Q3
3. What is an autoimmune disease?
An autoimmune disease is said to be present when the immune system mistakenly attacks the body.
Q4
4. What are the types of diseases caused by autoimmunity?
Typically, autoimmunity can involve the following diseases such as rheumatoid arthritis, inflammatory bowel movement and multiple sclerosis
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FAQs
In autoimmunity, the immune system attacks your body's cells instead of protecting them. For example, it can attack your joints, kidneys, or skin as if they were foreign and dangerous. With allergies, the immune system recognizes food or pollen as dangerous and acts like it does when trying to kill a virus or bacteria.
What is the difference between autoimmunity and allergies? ›
Overview. Allergy and autoimmunity occur when immune cells are activated by non-pathogenic antigens. In the case of allergies, the immune system recognizes innocuous non-self-antigens (e.g. proteins in peanuts), while in autoimmunity the immune system attacks cells expressing self-antigens.
How are allergic reactions and immune reactions similar? ›
Allergies are the result of your immune system's response to a substance. Immune responses can be mild, from coughing and a runny nose, to a life-threatening reaction know as anaphylaxis. A person becomes allergic when their body develops antigens against a substance.
What is the relationship between allergies and the immune system? ›
When the immune system detects a foreign invader, it sets off a chemical reaction, producing immunoglobulin E (IgE) antibodies. This triggers the release of histamines, which cause common allergy symptoms such as runny nose, sneezing and itchy, watery eyes (allergic rhinitis).
What is the difference between a disease and an allergy? ›
A chronic disease lasts a long time or occurs often. An allergy occurs when the body's immune system sees a substance as harmful and overreacts to it. The substances that cause allergic reactions are allergens. When someone has allergies, their immune system makes an antibody called immunoglobulin E (IgE).
Is there a connection between allergies and autoimmune diseases? ›
“They are all connected,” Erik Wambre, PhD, principal investigator, says of the relationship between the two. “It's a mistake of your body's own immune system, whether it's autoimmunity or allergy.” And when it comes to how the body reacts to these two types of attacks?
What autoimmune disease mimics allergies? ›
Mast cell activation syndrome (MCAS) develops when mast cells become overactive and release their contents, which include histamine and other substances that cause inflammation and allergy symptoms.
What are the similarities and differences of inflammation versus allergies? ›
Inflammation is the body's response to tissue damage. Unless death occurs, inflammation is always followed by repair, while allergy is an exaggerated immune response to contact with a foreign substance, which may be something ingested, inhaled or touched.
How are allergic reactions and immune reactions similar yet different in Quizlet? ›
How are allergic reactions and immune reactions similar yet different? Immunity has to do with pathogens which can harm the body; allergies deal with antigens which only cause bodily harm due to the body's adverse reaction.
What is the definition and differentiate between hypersensitivity reactions and autoimmune disease? ›
Hypersensitivity refers to an immune response that is disproportionate or exaggerated relative to the triggering factor. Autoimmunity describes the mistaken reaction of the immune system toward the body's own tissues.
While having a strong immune system may help relieve some side effects of allergic rhinitis it will not entirely prevent it.
Is allergy an immune disorder? ›
Allergy and autoimmunity result from dysregulation of the immune system. Until recently, it was generally accepted that the mechanisms that govern these disease processes are quite disparate; however, new discoveries suggest possible common pathogenetic effector pathways.
What is the difference between inflammation and allergies? ›
Every allergy triggers inflammation, but not every inflammatory response is due to an allergy. Inflammation can also be triggered by an irritant, which does not require genetic predisposition and affects the entire population, or to harmful bacteria; in this case, it is referred to as an infection.
What is the treatment for autoimmune allergies? ›
Allergy shots, also known as subcutaneous immunotherapy (SCIT), are the most commonly used and most effective form of allergy immunotherapy. This is the only treatment available that actually changes the immune system , making it possible to prevent the development of new allergies and asthma .
Is allergy an inflammatory disease? ›
In allergic subjects, persistent or repetitive exposure to allergens, which typically are intrinsically innocuous substances common in the environment, results in chronic allergic inflammation.
Are allergies a virus or not? ›
Allergies, on the other hand, are not caused by a virus but rather by immune system responses triggered by exposure to allergens, such as seasonal tree or grass pollens. Sneezing and runny noses are two symptoms of allergies.
What is the difference between autoimmunity and autoimmune? ›
Autoimmunity refers to an aberration in the body's normal development such that the immune system mounts an attack against its own cells. [1] The etiology behind autoimmune diseases is multifactorial, with genetic, hormonal, and environmental factors all playing a role.
What is the difference between autoimmunity and immune system? ›
Your immune system is made up of organs and cells meant to protect your body from bacteria, parasites, viruses and cancer cells. An autoimmune disease is the result of the immune system accidentally attacking your body instead of protecting it. It's unclear why your immune system does this.
What is the main difference between hypersensitivity and autoimmunity? ›
Hypersensitivity refers to an immune response that is disproportionate or exaggerated relative to the triggering factor. Autoimmunity describes the mistaken reaction of the immune system toward the body's own tissues.
