I have also seen reports of a links between teaching and lupus but
haven't read the research myself. Generally, I see a relatively high
rate of autoimmune disease among the older teachers I know -- older
being 40+ and staying in the profession. (Teachers know that the
average teacher quits within 5 years of starting, and in my
Kindergarten building, that quitting is often to raise a family, after
which they often work in a different field.)

Of the older teachers in my building last year, one had diabetes, one
had lupus (me) and two had MS. One with MS had to take permanent
disability mid-year. After nearly a year straight of lung infections,
including two bouts of pneumonia and a hospital visit for asthma, I
wanted to change careers or at least jobs, but ironically, I can't
afford to lose the excellent health insurance we have in my district. A
friend who retired from a large city school district said that she knew
many women with lupus in her building.

I think I'm also not the only teacher who posts on this newsgroup. At
least one other lupie here is a teacher.

I was the only one on my campus with lupus... but I was dx'd prior to the
job.