Autoimmune diseases are conditions where the immune system attacks the body organs instead of foreign invaders. This book deals with the various mechanisms by which infectious agents can trigger autoimmunity such as molecular mimicry and polyclonal activation. An overview is given with regard to bacteria, viruses, and parasites associated with autoimmunity, and a summary is given on classical autoimmune diseases and the infecting agents that can induce them. - Includes completely updated and new chapters - Brings the reader up to date and allows easy access to individual topics in one place - Identifies infectious agents as pathogenic or protective in many autoimmune diseases