text: Lupus is a chronic autoimmune disease in which the immune system turns against the body and harms healthy cells and tissues. Lupus, which is also considered a rheumatic (arthritic) disease, can affect many parts of the body including the joints, skin, kidneys, lungs, heart or brain. Some of the most common symptoms include extreme fatigue, painful or swollen joints, unexplained fever, skin rashes, and kidney problems.\n\nWe don’t know yet what causes the immune system to become overactive. Scientific evidence indicates that lupus is caused by a combination of genetic and environmental factors. Studies show that lupus runs in families, meaning that certain genes predispose you to the disease. Environmental triggers may include ultraviolet light, bacterial and viral infections, medications, diet and stress. \n\nAccording to the National Institutes of Health, nine out of ten people who have lupus are women. It often first appears during the childbearing years—ages 15 to 45. Lupus is three times more common in African American women than in Caucasian women, and is also more common in women of Hispanic, Asian, and Native American descent. \n\nLupus is not contagious. You cannot give it to someone else.\n\nThere currently is not a cure for lupus and treatments may have serious side effects. The Alliance for Lupus Research hopes that more intensive research will lead to better treatments and a cure. In the meantime, people with lupus should seek the care of a physician familiar with the disease.