Abstract
This article examines the evolution of autoimmunity from its early rejection under the theory of "horror autotoxicus" to its current status as a pressing global epidemic. While early 20th-century scientists believed the body possessed inherent safeguards against self-attack, mid-century discoveries of autoantibodies established that the immune system can indeed target healthy tissues, leading to chronic conditions such as systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) and Hashimoto's thyroiditis. Current data reflect a significant surge in these disorders, with a reported 19.1% increase in incidence and a 12.5% increase in prevalence between 1985 and 2015. Within the United States, the prevalence of antinuclear antibodies, a key marker of immune overactivity, rose from 11.0% in the late 1980s to 16.1% by 2012, with the sharpest increases observed among adolescents and females. The analysis identifies a multifactorial model of disease development driven by biological sex differences, environmental exposures, and modern lifestyle shifts. Women are four times more likely than men to develop autoimmune disorders, a disparity attributed to the presence of two X chromosomes, the "escape" of immune-related genes from X-chromosome inactivation, and the inflammatory effects of sex hormones like estrogen and prolactin. Furthermore, the "Westernized" lifestyle, characterized by processed diets, gut dysbiosis, and the "hygiene hypothesis," has significantly altered immune regulation. Beyond biological factors, the article addresses the staggering economic burden of these diseases, estimated at $100 billion annually in the U.S. It highlights socioeconomic disparities, in which lower-income patients often receive less effective treatments. To mitigate this crisis, the author advocates for a centralized national database, sex-specific treatment protocols, and a shift toward proactive, precision-based medicine.
Recommended Citation
Hammersmith, Avery R.
(2026)
"When Defense Turns Destructive: Unraveling the Global Rise of Autoimmune Disease and Sex-Based Disparities,"
Caroliniana Undergraduate Research Journal: Vol. 1:
Iss.
2, Article 4.
Available at:
https://scholarcommons.sc.edu/usc-curj/vol1/iss2/4
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