VOA慢速英语 狼疮如何攻击身体防御系统

　　VOICE ONE:

　　The United States National Institutes of Health says autoimmune diseases affect an estimated five to eight percent of the country's population. Other groups disagree. For example, the American Autoimmune Related Disease Association says autoimmune diseases affect about fifty million Americans. That represents about one-sixth of the population.

　　The physical, emotional and financial cost of autoimmune diseases is huge. Most of those affected are women. While people of all ages are affected, women who are old enough to have children are especially at risk.

　　Some autoimmune diseases like lupus and scleroderma are more common in African-Americans. Diseases such as multiple sclerosis and type-one diabetes are more common among whites. Doctors do not yet know why this is true.

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　　VOICE TWO:

　　New drugs are being tested to help treat autoimmune diseases. Some drugs can be a problem because they suppress the immune system. This means the body is less able to defend itself against infections. As a result, the side effects of the drugs can be as dangerous as the disease itself.

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