Several autoimmune diseases have long been linked to viral and bacterial infections. In contrast, the possibility of fungal infections causing autoimmune diseases has received almost no attention. However, major fungal infections can cause severe autoimmune diseases, by decreasing T_REG cells and increasing production of interleukin-23, CD4 T_H17 T-cells, interleukin-17 and other cytokines, including interleukin-22. Several factors can cause fungal infections, including antibiotic usage. Bacterial and fungal populations compete in mammalian oropharyngeal, respiratory, gastrointestinal, and genitourinary tracts. Antibiotic usage decreases bacteria and thereby favors fungal populations over bacterial populations. This leads to an explanatory hypothesis for the pathogenesis of severe autoimmune diseases by major fungal infections. The increase in fungal populations in individuals susceptible to major fungal infections can also explain the higher incidence of autoimmune diseases. CD4 T_H17 T-cells and certain interleukins can be one path of pathogenesis between major fungal infections and increased incidences of major autoimmune diseases, including type 1 diabetes, multiple sclerosis, and various types of arthritis.

长期以来，多种自身免疫性疾病与病毒和细菌感染有关。相比之下，真菌感染引起自身免疫性疾病的可能性几乎没有受到关注。然而，主要的真菌感染会导致严重的自身免疫性疾病，通过减少 T _REG细胞和增加白细胞介素 23、CD4 T _{H 的产生}17 T 细胞、白细胞介素 17 和其他细胞因子，包括白细胞介素 22。有几个因素会导致真菌感染，包括抗生素的使用。细菌和真菌种群在哺乳动物的口咽、呼吸道、胃肠道和泌尿生殖道中竞争。抗生素的使用会减少细菌，从而有利于真菌种群而不是细菌种群。这导致了对主要真菌感染引起的严重自身免疫性疾病的发病机制的解释性假设。易受主要真菌感染的个体中真菌种群的增加也可以解释自身免疫性疾病的发病率较高。CD4 T _H17 T 细胞和某些白细胞介素可能是主要真菌感染和主要自身免疫性疾病（包括 1 型糖尿病、多发性硬化症和各种类型的关节炎）发病率增加之间的发病机制之一。