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Previous Volume 346:1749-1750 May 30, 2002 Number 22 Next

	Since this article has no abstract, we have provided an extract of the first 100 words of the full text and any section headings.

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To the Editor: The article by Zinkernagel (Nov. 1 issue)¹ and the accompanying editorial² discuss the attractive and popular notion that the occurrence of fewer infectious diseases during childhood leads to an increase in the incidence of autoimmune diseases. This idea, however, is not soundly based. The apparently increased incidence of autoimmune diseases in industrialized countries may well be attributable to the use of improved diagnostic tools and widespread awareness of these diseases. Large-scale epidemiologic studies have been done only with regard to type 1 diabetes. Moreover, there is evidence that the prevalence of autoimmune diseases in underdeveloped countries is . . . [Full Text of this Article]

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