Infections in systemic lupus erythematosus

Systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE), like other autoimmune diseases, is associated with alterations in the various immune regulatory pathways. These alterations play a role in disease pathogenesis and at the same time affect the protective functions of the different arms of the immune system. An Increase in the incidence of infections in SLE is well known. Predisposition to infection is a consequence of not only the immunosuppressive agents used in treatment but also the disease itself 1. Incidence of serious infections in SLE patients, which require hospitalization, may vary in different populations. Additionally, a difference in the spectrum of infectious agents may be expected in different geographic areas of the world, depending on the prevalence and endemicity of infectious agents. This is a review article