What causes systemic vasculitis?

From the Research

Causes of Systemic Vasculitis

• Systemic vasculitis is a complex and problematic autoimmune rheumatic disease characterized by affections of large, medium, or small vessels 1
• The main triggers of vasculitides are environmental, genetic, and various infectious factors 1
• Many viruses can be responsible for systemic vasculitis, including hepatitis B virus-related polyarteritis nodosa (HBV-PAN), hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection, human immunodeficiency virus (HIV), and others 2
• Bacteria, fungi, or parasites can also cause vasculitis, mainly by direct invasion of blood vessels or septic embolization 2
• Sarcoidosis can be complicated by systemic vasculitis, which can affect small- to large-caliber vessels 3

Infectious Causes

• Hepatitis B virus-related polyarteritis nodosa (HBV-PAN) is a common cause of systemic vasculitis 2
• Hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection is associated with mixed cryoglobulinemia, which can lead to vasculitis 2
• Human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) can also cause systemic vasculitis 2
• Other infectious causes include erythrovirus B19, cytomegalovirus, varicella-zoster virus, and human T-cell lymphotropic virus (HTLV)-1 2

Non-Infectious Causes

• Genetic factors can contribute to the development of systemic vasculitis 1
• Environmental factors can also trigger systemic vasculitis 1
• Sarcoidosis can be a non-infectious cause of systemic vasculitis 3