Autoimmune disorders are a result of body's immune system mistaking self tissues for non-self and subsequently mounting an inappropriate attack. It is emerging as a disorder, which needs faster diagnostics. Autoimmune seminars educate the medical fraternity covering a wide gamut of disorders, some of which are complicated and difficult to understand.

A recent seminar, the second in a three seminar series, is a unique initiative by Bio-Rad Laboratories in its attempt to generate awareness on autoimmune disorders and its diagnosis amongst the medical fraternity, Dhiren Wagle, country manager, Bio-Rad Laboratories (India).

Some of the autoimmune disorders are rheumatoid arthritis, grave's disease, myasthenia gravis, autoimmune haemolytic anaemia, Pernicious anaemia, ankylosing spondylitis, vasculitis, type I diabetes mellitus and multiple sclerosis.

According to Dr Usha Kini, Head, Department of Pathology, St John's Medical College, "Diagnosis of autoimmune disorders is given due importance. Symptoms of autoimmune disorders vary widely depending on the type of disease. Some of the common symptoms are fatigue, dizziness, malaise etc. Specific symptoms could be as serious as destruction or change in size of an organ or a tissue"

The seminar, attended by medical practitioners, pathologists, researchers among others discussed some of the latest happenings in the emerging area of autoimmune diseases and their diagnostics.

Bio-Rad Laboratories, Inc. is a multinational manufacturer and distributor of life science research products and clinical diagnostics. Based in Hercules, California, Bio-Rad serves more than 70,000 research and industry customers worldwide through a network of more than 30 wholly owned subsidiary offices. Bio-Rad India, a 100 per cent subsidiary of Bio-Rad Laboratories USA, has its headquarters in Gurgaon, Haryana, and regional offices at Chennai, Mumbai, Kolkata, Bangalore and Hyderabad. The Indian operations also coordinate marketing services in Sri Lanka, Bangladesh, Nepal, Bhutan and Maldives.