disease - an impairment of health or a condition of abnormal functioning

autoimmune diabetes, growth-onset diabetes, IDDM, insulin-dependent diabetes mellitus, juvenile diabetes, juvenile-onset diabetes, ketoacidosis-prone diabetes, ketosis-prone diabetes, type I diabetes - severe diabetes mellitus with an early onset; characterized by polyuria and excessive thirst and increased appetite and weight loss and episodic ketoacidosis; diet and insulin injections are required to control the disease

atrophic arthritis, rheumatoid arthritis, rheumatism - a chronic autoimmune disease with inflammation of the joints and marked deformities; something (possibly a virus) triggers an attack on the synovium by the immune system, which releases cytokines that stimulate an inflammatory reaction that can lead to the destruction of all components of the joint

ankylosing spondylitis, Marie-Strumpell disease, rheumatoid spondylitis - a chronic form of spondylitis primarily in males and marked by impaired mobility of the spine; sometimes leads to ankylosis

discoid lupus erythematosus, DLE - a chronic skin disease occurring primarily in women between the ages of 20 and 40; characterized by an eruption of red lesions over the cheeks and bridge of the nose

Hashimoto's disease - autoimmune disorder of the thyroid gland; most common in middle-aged women

LE, lupus erythematosus - a chronic inflammatory collagen disease affecting connective tissue (skin or joints)

autoimmunity - production of antibodies against the tissues of your own body; produces autoimmune disease or hypersensitivity reactions

dermatosclerosis, scleroderma - an autoimmune disease that affects the blood vessels and connective tissue; fibrous connective tissue is deposited in the skin

idiopathic thrombocytopenic purpura, purpura hemorrhagica, thrombocytopenic purpura, Werlhof's disease - purpura associated with a reduction in circulating blood platelets which can result from a variety of factors