Question

Which of the following is an autoimmune disease?
1. Sickle cell anaemia
2. Cretinism
3. Rheumatic fever
4. Malaria

Answer 1

Correct Answer - Option 3 : Rheumatic fever

Concept:

• Auto-immunity: It is an unusual type of immune response developed in the body where it starts rejecting its own body cells or self-cells and molecules.
• Examples: Addison's disease, Hashimoto disease, Rheumatoid arthritis & rheumatoid fever are all autoimmune disease

​Explanation:

• Rheumatoid fever: It is an autoimmune disease that occurs due to the improper treatment of strep throat (a bacterial disease caused due to group A Streptococcus or group A strep)
• Rheumatoid fever acts on the body's immune system to attack self-body cell that causes inflammation of heart and joints tissues.
• It is very common in children of 5 -15 years of age.
• The symptoms include: Fever, tender joints (arthritis), most commonly in the knees, ankles, elbows, and wrists

• Sickle cell anemia is an inherited red blood cell disorder in which there are not enough healthy red blood cells to carry oxygen throughout your body.
• Normal haemoglobin is called haemoglobin A, but people with sickle cell disease have only haemoglobin S, which turns normal, round red blood cells into abnormally curved (sickle) shapes.
• Cretinism: It is a medical condition that causes impairment of physical and mental development. It is caused due to the deficiency of thyroid hormone (hypothyroidism). Children suffering from the disease show stunted growth, mental retardation, low intelligent quotient & abnormal skin.
• Malaria: It is a protozoan disease caused by plasmodium. The female anopheles mosquito serves as the vector for this disease