Background: Mycobacterium tuberculosis is a major cause of mortality and morbidity worldwide. Infection with this bacterium is known to induce the development of autoantibodies of which a few are also known to be diagnostic markers for some other diseases. Antineutrophil Cytoplasmic Antibodies (ANCA's) are among those autoantibodies used in clinical setting for diagnosing systemic vasculitic sy...

BACKGROUND We report a case in which the extraintestinal manifestations of inflammatory bowel disease preceded development of gastrointestinal symptoms by nearly 9 months in the context of an unusual autoantibody panel, mimicking granulomatosis with polyangiitis. This case highlights the intricacies and overlap of autoimmune diseases, and illustrates an interesting clinical phenotype: cytoplasm...

Neutrophil extracellular traps are associated with a unique form of cell death distinct from apoptosis or necrosis, whereby invading microbes are trapped and killed. Neutrophil extracellular traps can contribute to autoimmunity by exposing autoantigens, inducing IFN-α production, and activating the complement system. The association of neutrophil extracellular traps with autoimmune diseases, pa...

Antibodies to neutrophil cytoplasmic antigens (ANCA) are good serological markers for patients with mainly vasculitic conditions. Two main types of ANCAs have been detected, the first termed cytoplasmic antineutrophil cytoplasmic antibody (cANCA) are mainly associated with patients with Wegener's granulomatosis, the other termed perinuclear antineutrophil cytoplasmic antibody (pANCA) are mainly...

UNLABELLED BACKGROUND Anti-neutrophil cytoplasmic antibodies are typically detected in anti-neutrophil cytoplasmic antibody associated vasculitis, but are also present in a number of chronic inflammatory non-vasculitic conditions like rheumatoid arthritis. Rare cases of granulomatosis with polyangiitis (formerly known as Wegener's granulomatosis, a vasculitic disorder frequently associated w...