A light micrograph of skin plaques on someone with lupus BIOPHOTO ASSOCIATES/SCIENCE PHOTO LIBRARY
The DNA of a girl with a severe form of lupus may have helped uncover a genetic cause for the autoimmune condition.
Lupus, which affects about 5 million people worldwide, occurs when an overactive immune system mistakenly attacks the body, triggering inflammation that can cause joint pain, rashes and extreme fatigue.
The underlying cause of lupus is somewhat of a mystery, making it difficult to develop treatments. “Current treatments are not curative and often they can be toxic,” says Grant Brown at the Australian…
