What causes Antiphospholipid Antibody Syndrome? (S.P.
With some other kinds of medical conditions, causes–and, thus, issues of cure and prevention–are reasonably clear. In the case of specific infections–influenza or TB, for example–once the causative agent (a virus or bacterium, for example) is found and its behavior in the body studied and understood, the challenges are to find the appropriate antibiotic or other drug to combat it, then to develop a vaccine to prevent future attacks. In other kinds of illness, these issues are a great deal more complicated–and often very unclear. They are especially so in the case of the autoimmune diseases. The antiphospholipid syndrome (APS) is one of those, along with lupus, rheumatoid arthritis, diabetes, and a host of others. We do know, in a very general way, what goes wrong: The body’s immune system, normally a helpful–indeed, essential–operation that protects and defends the body against infectious agents and other invaders, misbehaves and attacks parts of the body itself.
