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Granulomatosis with Polyangiitis (GPA) What is granulomatosis with polyangiitis? Granulomatosis with polyangiitis (GPA) is an autoimmune disorder. An autoimmune disorder occurs when the body's immune system attacks and destroys healthy tissue. GPA causes inflammation, swelling

Dermatomyositis What is dermatomyositis? Dermatomyositis is a rare disease that causes muscle inflammation and skin rash. It's one of a group of muscle diseases that cause muscle inflammation, weakness, and swelling. It's different from other muscle diseases because it also

Sjögren Syndrome What is Sjögren syndrome? Sjögren syndrome is an autoimmune disorder. This means that the body’s own immune system attacks its own healthy cells and tissues by mistake. In this case, it attacks the glands that make moisture. It commonly causes dry skin, dry eyes

Monoclonal Gammopathies What are monoclonal gammopathies? Monoclonal gammopathies are conditions in which abnormal proteins (antibodies) are found in the blood. These proteins are made from a small number of plasma cells in the bone marrow. The most common condition linked with

Genetics and Immune Disorders Your immune system is made up of a large network of cells, tissues, and organs. They work together to fight off infections and other harmful substances. But the immune system doesn't always work the way it should. Some disorders make the immune

Immunoglobulin A Deficiency What is IgA deficiency? Immunoglobulin A (IgA) is an antibody blood protein that's part of your immune system. Your body makes IgA and other types of antibodies to help fight off sickness. Having an IgA deficiency means that you have low levels of or

Fluency Disorder What is a fluency disorder? Having a fluency disorder means you have trouble speaking in a fluid or flowing way. You may say the whole word or parts of the word more than once. Or you may pause awkwardly between words. This is called stuttering. You may speak

How Were the COVID-19 Vaccines Made So Fast? Vaccines for COVID-19 are now widely available. In the past, it’s taken many years to create a vaccine that’s ready for public use. But over decades of creating vaccines, research groups and public health agencies have been making the

Eye Cancer: Intraocular Melanoma What is intraocular melanoma? Melanoma is a serious kind of skin cancer. This cancer starts in cells called melanocytes. These cells make the pigment that colors your skin. You also have melanocytes in your eyes. When these cells become cancer, it

Back Pain in Pregnancy Why is back pain so common in pregnancy? One of the most common complaints during pregnancy is back pain. In fact, it's estimated that more than half of all pregnant people have some degree of back discomfort. Most back pain is related to the physical