Lupus and Infections: How Infections Trigger Flares and What You Can Do
Explore why infections trigger lupus flares, common culprits, prevention tips, and how to manage infections safely for people living with lupus.
Lupus Infections: What You Need to Know About Risks and Management
When you have lupus, a chronic autoimmune condition where the immune system attacks healthy tissue. Also known as systemic lupus erythematosus, it doesn’t just cause joint pain or rashes—it weakens your body’s ability to fight off germs. That’s why lupus infections, common and often severe illnesses that occur more easily in people with lupus are one of the top reasons people with lupus end up in the hospital.
Why does this happen? Two main reasons: the disease itself and the drugs used to treat it. Lupus makes your immune system confused, so it can’t tell friend from foe. But the medicines—like azathioprine, a common immunosuppressant used to calm down overactive immune responses or deflazacort, a corticosteroid that reduces inflammation but also lowers infection defenses—make it worse. They’re meant to stop your body from attacking itself, but they also leave you open to bacteria, viruses, and fungi you’d normally shrug off.
People with lupus are more likely to get pneumonia, urinary tract infections, skin infections, and even rare ones like shingles or tuberculosis. Some infections can flare up lupus symptoms, making it hard to tell if it’s the disease or the bug causing the fever or fatigue. That’s why tracking symptoms closely matters. A simple cold might turn into something serious faster than you think.
You’re not powerless here. Simple habits make a big difference: washing hands often, avoiding crowds during flu season, staying up to date on vaccines (but skipping live vaccines if you’re on strong immunosuppressants), and calling your doctor at the first sign of fever, chills, or unusual swelling. Many people with lupus don’t realize they should get the pneumococcal shot or the yearly flu shot—those aren’t optional, they’re essential.
And it’s not just about medicine. Nutrition, sleep, and stress control play roles too. Poor sleep weakens immunity. Chronic stress raises inflammation. Eating well keeps your body strong enough to resist bugs. These aren’t fluffy wellness tips—they’re medical necessities when your immune system is already on edge.
The posts below give you real, practical details on how lupus and its treatments interact with infections. You’ll find comparisons of drugs like azathioprine and deflazacort, which show exactly how each one affects your infection risk. You’ll see how immunosuppressants work side by side with other meds, so you can understand what’s helping and what’s putting you at risk. There’s no fluff here—just clear facts on what works, what doesn’t, and what you need to watch for.
