According to a new study conducted by scientists at NYU School of Medicine systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) is linked to an abnormal mix of bacteria in the gut. The disease is marked by the attack on joints skin and kidneys by the body's immune system. The authors of the current study say their experiments are the first detailed evidence of a link between bacterial imbalances in the gut and potentially life-threatening forms of SLE. The new study published today in the Annals of Rheumatic Diseases online showed that 61 women diagnosed with SLE had roughly five times more gut bacteria