Autoimmune Diseases and Inflammatory Disorders of Unknown Etiology Contemplating Causation and Implication in Public Health Protection

Due to their multi factorial causation, the investigation of the etiology of autoimmune and inflammatory disorders constitutes a challenge that seems to exceed greatly that which was faced by the pioneers of the previous centuries, in connection with microbial diseases. Genetic factors, microbial pathogens, the alteration of the normal microbial flora and/or of the micro biome have been implicated to the etiology of the specific category of diseases but their interaction is so complex that the distinction of the causal from those that are incidental becomes extremely difficult. This issue is further complicated by food additives that are nowadays widely used and could have a contributing role to the pathogenesis of disorders associated with immune dysregulation. In this respect, it is perhaps critical that administrative authorities involved in public health protection revised their licensing strategy from deciding based on evidences of harmfulness, to taking seriously into consideration even indications of the latter or requiring proof of safety.