Since 1970, when it was first found in the synovial fluid of rheumatoid arthritis patients, Mycoplasma fermentans has been suspected of being associated with rheumatoid arthritis, but it may be associated with other forms of arthritis as well, according to this study. Other forms of mycoplasma have been proven to cause arthritis in animals.
To summarize the current study:
The distribution of M. fermentans was studied in the synovial fluid of patients suffering from different forms of arthritis.
M. fermentans was detected in 88% of both the rheumatoid arthritis and non- rheumatoid arthritis patients.
gout reactive arthritis pauciarticular juvenile chronic arthritis ankylosing spondylitis psoriatic arthritis
psoriatic arthritis
Four different strains of the organism were found.
It was not detected in any of the osteoarthritis patients
The authors state that M. fermentans is very common in non-osteoarthritic patients and may prove to be an important factor in the treatment of these disorders. Journal of Clinical Microbiology January 2000; 38: 90-93
Normally I like to have current articles in the newsletter, but this one escaped me and was forwarded by one of the founding members of the rheumatoid arthritis support group, Ethel Snooks. Many of you may not know that PCR technology is one of the most sensitive ways to diagnose infections. It is a gene amplification technique that can multiply incredibly minute portions of the item being searched for.
For those of you who are not familiar with my antibiotic protocol for rheumatoid arthritis you can click here (Click on "Information for You and Your Doctor" and then click on my protocol). Fifty years ago Dr. Brown realized that fighting the infection with antibiotics was far better than using steroids. He was a major pioneer and helped over ten thousand patients with RA.
He has been dead for over ten years and many of us have revised the protocol. My addition has been the application of natural therapies, especially diet in the treatment. This study clearly shows that mycoplasma is an factor in RA and needs to be addressed. As time goes on we will find even better ways to stimulate the immune system to fight the infection.
This is not too different from the modifications natural medicine currently has to treat H. pylori infections which are the cause of most ulcers. Traditional medicine uses antibiotics but there are far more effective natural approaches.
It is important to note that this mycoplasma is not restricted to inflammatory arthritis patients and was actually detected in the saliva of 44% of healthy people (abstract).
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