Systemic Autoimmune Diseases: Not So Rare in Black Africans

Abstract

Conventional beliefs and some publications, had in the past, asserted that systemic auto -immune diseases such as inflammatory arthritis, connective tissue diseases and vasculitis are rare. Many of such reports had been hospital based and were not based on the ACR criteria. Rheumatoid arthritis was reported as being rare, especially among West Africans; so also Systemic Lupus Erythematosus, Scleroderma and Inflammatory myopathies. Even rarer are the Vasculitis. However, increasing reportage of these conditions may indicate that these conditions do occur, although under reported. As efforts are being made to overcome acute and chronic infections such as Malaria, Tuberculosis, chronic debilitating diseases such as arthritis and cancers may rear their head.