What is Systemic Lupis Erythematosus or Lupus?

Hello. Today I heard terrible news-my best friend’s mother suffers from a disease called Lupis. I also heard that this is serious disease and that it has something to do with fighting the body against it self.
He does not talk much about it and there so I would like to know how serious this disease really is.
Thanks.

I’m sorry to say but-you’re right. We are talking about very serious disease. The precise mechanism and reason that causes lupus is unknown. Lupus is autoimmune disease which occurs when the body's tissues are attacked by its own immune system. In other words - immune system products auto-antibodies. These auto-antibodies attack different tissues like: skin, joints, heart, kidneys and nervous system and because of that – patients suffer from very various symptoms like fatigue, fever, arthritis, facial rash ("butterfly rash"), unusual sensitivity to sunlight (photosensitivity), pleuritis, pericarditis and poor circulation in the extremities. When all these symptoms persist at once – the condition is called systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE).
The permanent cure for SLE does not exist. The goal in treatment is to relieve symptoms and protect organs by decreasing level of autoimmune activity in the body and prolong patient’s life.