Clinical immunology--autoimmunity in the Netherlands.

Clinical immunology is in the Netherlands a separate clinical specialty within internal medicine and pediatrics. Clinical immunologists work closely together with nephrologists, rheumatologists and many other medical specialists. Apart from research and teaching, clinical immunologists are taking care of patients with immune-deficiencies, vasculitides and systemic auto-immune diseases. Clinical immunology in the Netherlands has always been an important contributor to basic and clinical science in the Netherlands. Major scientific contributions were made in the field of Systemic Lupus Erythematosus and ANCA associated vasculitis. These Dutch contributions will be reviewed in this article.