The link between Proteus mirabilis, environmental factors and autoantibodies in rheumatoid arthritis.

Rheumatoid arthritis (RA) is a relatively common and potentially disabling immune-mediated inflammatory systemic disease, predominantly affecting women and characterised by multiple small joint arthritis. Extensive data supports the roles of genetic, environmental and microbial factors in the triggering and development of this disease. Proteus mirabilis is considered as the main microbial culprit in the causation of RA.

The Link Between Klebsiella and Ankylosing Spondylitis in Worldwide Geographical Locations.

Ankylosing spondylitis (AS) is a world-wide chronic inflammatory disease of the axial skeleton most likely caused by a microbial factor in genetically susceptible individuals. Over the last 40 years extensive data has been produced which shows that the majority of patients with AS possess the HLA-B27 genetic marker. Significantly elevated levels of Klebsiella antibodies have been demonstrated in 1556 AS patients in 16 different countries with various geographical locations.

Fundamental immunological problems associated with "transmissible spongiform encephalopathies".

"Bovine spongiform encephalopathy", "scrapie", as well as Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease and kuru belong to a group of related neurological conditions termed "transmissible spongiform encephalopathies". These diseases are based on the LD50 measurement whereby saline brain homogenates are injected into experimental animals and when 50% of them develop symptoms, this is considered as transmission of the disease, but the gold standard for diagnosis is autopsy examination. However, an untenable assumption is being made in that saline brain homogenates do not cause tissue damage but it is known since the time of Pasteur, that they give rise to "post-rabies vaccination allergic encephalomyelitis".

Raised incidence of ankylosing spondylitis among Inuit populations could be due to high HLA-B27 association and starch consumption.

Ankylosing spondylitis (AS) is a chronic inflammatory arthritis mainly affecting the spinal joints. It would appear that the most likely causative agent in the development of AS is an environmental factor in the genetically susceptible, HLA-B27 positive, individuals. Extensive data from several countries support the notion that Klebsiella pneumonia bacteria are the most likely culprit in the causation of AS.