Mixed connective tissue disease connective tissue disease is not necessarily associated with serum antibodies directed against the U1-RNP, and MCTD is associated with a more clearly defined set of signs/symptoms. MCTD combines features of scleroderma, myositis, systemic lupus erythematosus, and rheumatoid arthritis (with some sources adding polymyositis, dermatomyositis, and inclusion body myositis) and is thus considered an overlap syndrome. MCTD commonly causes: It has been associated with HLA-DR4. Distinguishing laboratory characteristics are a positive, speckled anti-nuclear antibody and an anti-U1-RNP antibody. The prognosis of mixed connective tissue disease is in one third of cases worse than that of systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE). In spite
Effects of parasitic worms on the immune system infection is more severe because of the parasites. According to Dr. Kamal, the human immune system needs Th1 cells to effectively fight TB. Since the immune system often responds to parasitic worms by inhibiting Th1 cells, parasitic worms generally worsen tuberculosis. In fact, Tuberculosis patients who receive successful parasitic therapy experience major improvement. In 2004, Dr. Sokhna et al. performed a study of Senegalese children. Those infected with blood flukes had significantly higher rates of malaria attacks than those who were not. Furthermore, children with the highest counts of blood flukes also had the most malaria attacks. Based on this