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Medical Forum / Diseases and Disorders / Arthritis / July 2005Does infection cause RA?
Does Infection Cause Rheumatoid Arthritis? In addition to genetic susceptibility, environmental factors have been suggested to play a role in the development of RA. Among those, infections have been widely suspected, although a definite association is lacking.[47**] Several viral candidates have already been discussed in this review. The suspected bacteria have varied from mycobacteria causing direct infection, Streptococcus , mycoplasma, or an abnormal immunologic cross-reactivity between bacterial antigens ( eg , from Proteus or Escherichia coli ) and the host.[47**] A recent report of an isolation of Chlamydia trachomatis from the hip joint of a woman with monoarticular synovitis is interesting.[48] The disease rapidly progressed into seropositive oligoarthritis of large joints. In another study, which examined patients with early RA (duration of symptoms <12 months, untreated with antirheumatic drugs and glucocorticoids) and patients with established RA visiting a university clinic, IgG class anti- Proteus antibodies were elevated in comparison with control individuals.[49*] A similar analysis of antibodies to Serratia or E. coli did not show differences between patients and control individuals.[49*] Most of the studies addressing this question have been performed on hospital-based patients, often with established RA, with a focus on only one or a few potential candidate microbes. Söderlin et al .[50] did a population-based systematic survey of the infectious background of patients with early synovitis (duration of symptoms <3 months). Among such patients, 45% had evidence of recent infection. Of the patients with early synovitis, 15 (21%) experienced RA, and 2 (13%) had serologic evidence of recent infection (one of parvovirus B19, the other of Chlamydia pneumoniae ). Thus, approximately 10-20% of patients with early RA have serologic evidence of recent infective agents as triggers of RA. There is not one single putative microbial trigger, but several microbes may be able induce joint disease in a susceptible patient. Visit my website: http://www.mzuschlag.com i find this an interesting question, maryz. several decades ago, on a whim, i wrote a sci-fi short story which incorporated a common virus that caused cancer. my friend/neighbor read it, at the time, and thought i went too far out in left field with that concept in the story. however, recent studies kind of blew me away, when they concluded that certain cancers (like uterine cancer) were indeed caused by specific viruses. i'm beginning to think that certain genetic predispositions combined with exposure to specific and fairly common viruses, or baterial infections, cause all kinds of seemingly unrelated longterm diseases. so, i wouldn't be the least bit surprised if it was determined that an initial infection of some kind stimulates the genetic predisposition to develop diseases like ra or oa or any number of other diseases. wouldn't it be cool if they could discover how to cure a virus (like the hundreds of common cold viruses) instead of letting them run their course or just treating the symptoms? kate > Does Infection Cause Rheumatoid Arthritis? > In addition to genetic susceptibility, environmental factors have been [quoted text clipped - 33 lines] > Visit my website: > http://www.mzuschlag.com > wouldn't it be cool if they could discover how to cure a virus (like the > hundreds of common cold viruses) instead of letting them run their course > or just treating the symptoms? > > kate Yes,,,, I agree with the thinking and I hope to use myself as an example. Harv >i'm beginning to think that certain genetic predispositions combined with >exposure to specific and fairly common viruses, or baterial infections, >cause all kinds of seemingly unrelated longterm diseases. That may be true for some people but in my case I just don't believe it. I think it is genetic pure and simple, I had not had a cold or flue in years before my arthritis came on. I believe these are complex diseases that probably have multiple triggers. -- MZ Visit my website: http://www.mzuschlag.com >>i'm beginning to think that certain genetic predispositions combined with >>exposure to specific and fairly common viruses, or baterial infections, [quoted text clipped - 4 lines] > flue in years before my arthritis came on. I believe these are > complex diseases that probably have multiple triggers. -- MZ hey, who knows, eh? gads, girl! how did you manage to avoid colds for years? i can walk around with purell in one hand and clorox wipes in the other hand and zap. kate (maybe i should wipe something with them and not just carry them?) > Visit my website: > http://www.mzuschlag.com >hey, who knows, eh? gads, girl! how did you manage to avoid colds for >years? i can walk around with purell in one hand and clorox wipes in the >other hand and zap. I dunno know why, but it was not an issue. I was under extreme stress when the RA started and I think that helped to trigger it. Visit my website: http://www.mzuschlag.com egads! look out for those flying bats! baterial, geesh. i know perfectly well how to spell that word, bocterial! just kidding. bacterial. kate >i find this an interesting question, maryz. > [quoted text clipped - 55 lines] >> Visit my website: >> http://www.mzuschlag.com My JRA started just after a mumps infection when I was 9 years old -- I'm 59 now. I was told once by a rheumatologist that there seems to be a connection between the two. John Mc > Does Infection Cause Rheumatoid Arthritis? Extreme stress does lower the immunity so it may have been a subclinical infection that caused it. I know I had extreme stress and a low grade temp before 6 months before my RA really became diagnosed. > Extreme stress does lower the immunity so it may have been a > subclinical infection that caused it. I know I had extreme stress and a > low grade temp before 6 months before my RA really became diagnosed. \ One of those things that can be impossible to prove/disprove. Or even to do anything about if it is proven that infection is the trigger. In my case, I did have a severe bout with viral pneumonia before the RA symptoms. But I was also just about the typical age and have a very strong family history. In my family there is evidence of very strong immune systems, as in avoiding epidemic illness and living to great old age. But plenty of stuff like RA and Lupus as well. Jo I think the idea that RA is/can be triggered by an infection is quite an old one. In my case I reckon it occurred after a minor (seemed so at the time) gut upset. Relapses since have been linked to further gut infections. My consultant rheumi also believes in the gut/RA link. There are recorded instances of occurrences of Ankylosing Spondylitis after infections with campylobacter, clostridium, salmonella, shigella, yersinia, bacteroides and klebsiella See Drdoc on http://www.arthritis.co.za/ankspond.html Peter I would be interested in the answer to that question. It took two years for me to be diagnosed with ankylosing spondylitis, and I am still left wondering where the heck it came from. There is no history of any type of arthritis in my family (other than a few mild cases of osteo), and I did not have any sickness or infection that I am aware of. However, I was under a lot of stress at that time, caring for my dying father. I am now on Enbrel, methotrexate, azulfidine and a bunch of others and I am still having a hard time. >I would be interested in the answer to that question. It took two years > for me to be diagnosed with ankylosing spondylitis, and I am still left [quoted text clipped - 4 lines] > I am now on Enbrel, methotrexate, azulfidine and a bunch of others and > I am still having a hard time. Welllll, after all these years of reading Arthritis newsgroups and going to DrDocs web site,,,, I have never read where AS was caused by infection or germs or micro. germs or whatever. Maybe Remicade would work better for you. Try to cut down on the stress in your life even if it means you have to delegate some of it to others. Stress is not our friend and it loves inflam.arth. Harv The web site ref I gave for DrDoc tells you all about the pathogenesis of AS and starts: "Pathogenesis Hereditary factors are noted and there is a possibility of different variants of these syndromes, occuring within families. Pathogenesis is felt to be related to an autoimmune phenomenon - with molecular mimicry. There is a cross reaction between an environmental and the bodies' own tissues. The environmental agent is thought by many to be an infective organism. This in fact is identified in certain subsets of the spondyloarthropathies, and these subsets are called REACTIVE arthropathies. The organisms include Chlamydia - usually from urogenital source. Streptococcus - from airway / respiratory / skin infection, source Yersinia, Campylobacter, Salmonella, Shigella - from bowel source. Klebsiella - from bowel source." There is more on his web site. Peter I should also add that the infective agent is thought to be the trigger (as possibly is the case with RA). What happens after that is supposed to be a continuing but misguided inflammatory action by the body's immune system against some of its own tissues, which it is unable to distinguish adequately from the previous transitory pathogen. So taking antibiotics after the even should not cause the AS or RA to remit, but we all know that some people swear that they they do! Peter Yes, as far as my understanding is concerned, that is correct. AS is very similiar to RA, in that it is an autoimmune disease, meaning that it is systemic and can affect the entire body. In my case, it is not only my back, but my wrists (in fact, it started in my wrists), ankles, shoulders, knees and hips. Isn't it the roadback site which goes into antibiotic treatments? I belong to other message boards where people have visited raving about the antibiotic treatment, but none of the ravers were people who had actually belonged to the boards for a long time, and therefore they carried no credence with me. Char |
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