Rheumatoid arthritis is a disease that has direct involvement with the immune system. This disease is considered to be degenerative and currently the only thing that can be done is manage the painful symptoms and suppress the self targeting actions by using immune suppressing drugs. The cause of rheumatoid arthritis is mostly unknown but there is a high amount of evidence that there are genetic predispositions for the disease. This being said however there are also environmental factors to asses these include, bacteria, viruses, fungi and other environmental factors. Doctors primarily use a physical examination to first suspect R.A. then send for blood work to confirm. There are many aspects to this disease and many questions left unanswered, the treatments available now are only temporarily and can in some cases cause more problems than benefits. Lab experiments and clinical trials are currently showing some great results and could within our lifetimes cure many autoimmune diseases including R.A.. Although much is unknown on the causes of R.A. there are many things we see in correlation with the onset of disease. These include Bacterial, viral, and fungal infections. The mycoplasma bacteria, Epstein-Barr virus, cytomegalovirus, parvovirus and rubella (German measles) virus have all been considered as possible causative factors but conclusive evidence is still lacking (Zeliadt, 2010). Many times there have only been considerations for infectious bacteria causing this disease but now that idea is being questioned. A study involving mice in bacteria free cages showed that the friendly gut dwelling segmented filamentous bacteria (SFB) can cause onset of R.A. in greater numbers than those without. The mice that did no... ... middle of paper ... ...Retrieved Febuary 1, 2012, from About.com: http://arthritis.about.com/od/radiagnosis/a/rheumfactor.htm HJ, W., II, I., J, D., K, H., T, S., Y, U., et al. (2010). Gut-residing segmented filamentous bacteria drive autoimmune arthritis via T helper 17 cells. PubMed . Mayo Clinic Staff. (2011, May 2). Treatments and drugs. Retrieved Febuary 1, 2012, from Mayclinic: http://www.mayoclinic.com/health/rheumatoid-arthritis/DS00020/DSECTION=treatments-and-drugs Rodak, B. F., Fritsma, g. A., & Doig, K. (2007). Hematology: Clinical Principles and applications. St. louis: Saunders Elsevier. Stem Cell Institute. (2011). Stem Cell Treatments. Retrieved Febuary 1, 2012, from cellmedicine: http://www.cellmedicine.com/treatment/rheumatoid-arthritis/ Zeliadt, N. (2010). When Good Germs Go Bad: "Friendly" Gut Bacteria Can Trigger Rheumatoid Arthritis in Mice. Scientific American .
Arthritis is a disease that causes pain and inflammation in the joints. It occurs due to the immune system having negative reactions to the joints. The immune system perceives the joints as bacteria and therefore attacks it causing inflammation. The most common types of arthritis are rheumatoid, psoriatic, and osteoarthritis. Psoriatic arthritis is common among the psoriasis victims. Often, a person first suffers from psoriasis and then later accompanied by psoriatic arthritis. Psoriasis is a health condition that is characterized by red patches with silvery scales on the surface of the skin. There have been claims that fish oil can remedy this kind of arthritis. Below are the justifications;
In addition to its traditional clinical manifestations, GAS can also cause serious invasive disease such as necrotizing fasciitis, colloquially known as the flesh-eating disease. First broadly reported during the Civil War, when it was known as gangrene, necrotizing fasciitis occurs when an individual’s subcutaneous fat and superficial fascia become rapidly necrotic. Though incidence data is limited, one study estimated that, worldwide, there are approximately 660,000 cases of invasive GAS disease per year, with 97% of those cases occurring in low-income populations (4). Many microorganisms other than GAS have been linked with necrotizing fasciitis, including Staphyloccocus aureus, Escherichica coli, and Klebsiella pneumoniae, and the disease is often caused by a polymicrobial infection. However, the most well known causative agent in necrotizing fasciitis cases is usually Group A streptococci (6). Although risk factors for necrotizing fasciitis include diabetes, old age, and immunosuppression, nearly half of all infections occur i...
Microbiology with Diseases by Body System (Hardcover) & MasteringMicrobiology, 3rd edition, Bauman, R. W., Benjamin- Cummings Publishing Company, 2012, San Francisco, CA. ISBN 9780321716378. OR
“Crohn’s disease appears to be caused by a dysfunctional inflammatory response in the gastrointestinal tract” (U. S. News, 2009). Inflammation is the body’s natural way to heal by sending immune cells to the site of the injury or invader. Researchers think that this immune system response may be triggered by bacteria or viruses, material in the intestinal contents, or a defective signal from the body’s own cells, called an autoimmune response. Inflammation results in pain, heat, redness, and swelling of the tissue. Chronic inflammation can harm the function of tissues and organs (U.S. News, 2009).
2570). His explanation can be used to show that in extreme causes, RA may lead to deformation of the synovial joint. As Aletaha points out, such a severe disability endangers the life of the patient. Aletaha et al. notes that researchers and medical professionals in the last decade have made some improvements with disease modifying antirheumatic drugs (DMARDs) and they sufficiently have helped with RA management (p. 2571). Moreover, as “early therapeutic intervention” such as DMARDs has been recognized that helps on the “[improvement] of the clinical outcome [by] reducing accrual of joint damage and disability” (pg. 2571). These recent discoveries have helped cases in the first stages of rheumatoid arthritis. However, for more advanced cases in which evolution of joint destruction is presented, is not an practical yet, because there are no validated criteria to classify a patient with early and effective intervention for this disease (Aletaha et al., p. 2571). Many researchers such as Emery and
The UAE World Arthritis Day concluded recently. It was organized by the Emirates Arthritis Foundation on 12-13 October at the Park Regis Kris Kin Hotel, Dubai to support people suffering from arthritis, their families and friends and to increase public awareness of the condition within the country. The organization hopes that by raising the profile of the disease, detection rates will improve, which, in turn, should lead to quicker treatment — something that is vital to combat the worst effects of the disorder.
Factors that can enforce or inhibit the affects of arthritis are diet, bodyweight, and exercise. All three of these factors go well together because through a balanced diet and adequate exercise an optimal bodyweight may be achieved under normal circums...
Arthritis is very common and yet it is not well understood. Arthritis is not a single disease, but instead is an informal way of referring to more than 100 different types of joint pain and/or related conditions (“What is Osteoarthritis?”). Sometimes called degenerative joint disease or degenerative arthritis, osteoarthritis is the most common chronic condition of the joints, affecting approximately 27 million Americans (“What is Osteoarthritis?”). For a long time osteoarthritis was believed to be caused by the “wear and tear” of joints over time, however, scientists now view it to be a disease of the joint (“What
Rheumatoid arthritis is an autoimmune disease that attacks the joints and connective tissue. Autoimmune diseases are illnesses that occur when the bodys tissue is mistakenly attacked by its own immune system. The immunes system is primarly organized to look for infections and destroy them, patients with rheumatoid arthritis have antibodies in their blood which target their own tissue which leads to inflammation. RA is basically a chronic syndrome that is characterized by inflammation of the peripheral joints, but it may also involve the lungs, the heart, the blood vessels and eyes.
Crohn’s disease (CD) is an autoimmune disease that alters the gastrointestinal tract causing inflammation of the bowel that affects many Americans, with the number of diagnoses rising constantly. Orthodontic braces, worn by millions of Americans, are a type of dental treatment designed to straighten and align teeth for not only a beautiful smile but for a healthy mouth and jaw. A common link between CD and the application of braces are the occasional flare-up of canker sores. The scraping of braces against the skin in the mouth may cause irritation, resulting in the formation of canker sores. Additionally, the appearance of oral lesions, or canker sores, is often an indicative side effect of CD, as well as other factors, such as stomach irritation. The goal of the research is to discover a potential link between the application of braces and the coinciding cankers that form to find a common connection with the development of CD. The hypothesis is that the canker sores that develop due to the application of braces are related to a shift in the oral microbiota, and this shift is thought to contribute to the development of CD.
It is still unknown what the cause of Rheumatoid Arthritis is but there are some theories that have not been proven. The oldest theory states that viruses and bacteria are the cause of Rheumatoid Arthritis. Now with all the research being done, scientists believe that Rheumatoid Arthritis is hereditary. Specific genes have been found to make people more likely to get Rheumatoid Arthritis. Some scientists also think that some environmental factors and infections might cause the immune system to attack. Contributing factors are smoking and being exposed to silica metal. So although the exact causes are unknown, the result is that the immune system is ready to make the joins and tissues inflamed by activating immune cells.
Bach, J.F. (2002). The Effect of infections on susceptibility to autoimmune and allergic diseases.New England Medical Journal, 347(911-920)
One of the most common mysteries in the world is the development of autoimmune diseases. An autoimmune disease is when the immune system, which usually keeps your body healthy thinks that your healthy cells are antigens and attacks them. This is irony right? It is against properties of evolution for an immune system to attack itself causing sickness and possibly death if untreated. There are about 80 different types of autoimmune diseases, which usually have periods of little to no symptoms and worsening symptoms. What particularly creates confusion in the world is the autoimmune disease, inflammatory bowel disease, which affects almost about five million people worldwide.
Arthritis occurs when the body incorrectly identifies its own tissue as foreign matter and attacks it. Arthritis includes a set of more than eighty autoimmune diseases. Arthritis attacks connective tissues and joints. It causes stiffness, pain, inflammation, and swelling of the joints. Some kinds are crippling, but rarely leads to death. There are many different kinds of arthritis, the main ones being Osteoarthritis and Rheumatoid arthritis; others include gout and ankylosing spodylitis.