Gut bacteria may cause rheumatoid arthritis

Researchers, including one of Indian-origin, have discovered that unhealthy bacteria in your gut could be the culprit that causes rheumatoid arthritis, an autoimmune disorder that occurs when the body mistakenly attacks itself.

As a result of this disease, the body breaks down tissues around joints, causing swelling that can erode bone and deform the joints. The disease can damage other parts of the body, including the skin, eyes, heart, lung and blood vessels.

In a study published in the journal Genome Medicine, the researchers noted that an abundance of certain rare bacterial lineages causes a microbial imbalance that is found in rheumatoid arthritis patients.

This study of rheumatoid arthritis patients, their relatives and a healthy control group aimed to find a biomarker or a substance that indicates a disease, condition or phenomena that predicts susceptibility to rheumatoid arthritis.

The findings indicate that testing for specific microbiota in the gut can help physicians predict and prevent the onset of rheumatoid arthritis. "These are exciting discoveries that we may be able to use to personalise treatment for patients," Taneja said.

In a separate study, published in the journal Arthritis and Rheumatology, the researchers explored another facet of gut bacteria. Taneja treated one group of arthritis-susceptible mice with a bacterium, Prevotella histicola, and compared that to a group that had no treatment.

The study found that mice treated with the bacterium had decreased symptom frequency and severity, and fewer inflammatory conditions associated with rheumatoid arthritis. The treatment produced fewer side effects, such as weight gain and villous atrophy a condition that prevents the gut from absorbing nutrients that may be linked with other, more traditional treatments.