Dermatology & Cosmetology

Immmunodermatology and Autoimmunity

Immunodermatology is a medical specialty that focuses on the diagnosis and treatment of skin disorders characterized by defective responses of the body's immune system. Immunodermatology testing is essential for the correct diagnosis and treatment of many diseases affecting epithelial organs including skin, mucous membranes, gastrointestinal and respiratory tracts. Several areas have special attention such as photo-immunology effects of UV light on skin defence, inflammatory diseases, allergic contact dermatitis and atopic eczema, presumably autoimmune skin diseases such as vitiligo and psoriasis, and finally the immunology of microbial skin diseases such as retrovirus infections and leprosy. New therapies in development for the immunomodulation of include biological aimed at neutralizing TNF-alpha and chemokine receptor inhibitors. The immunofluorescence techniques have been invaluable in detecting both the antigen that causes the disease and the reactions initiated by the antigen, such as the production of antibodies and the activation of the complement system. The immunoperoxidase technique has also been used for these purposes in certain instances.