HLA-B27 AND BACTERIA

Most HLA-B27 positive individuals live without noticing the risk facto r they carry. Only when certain bacteria come into play, usually in th e form of intestinal or genital infection, some of the HLA-B27 positiv e individuals will develop a reactive disease. Such an association is so well established that it has formed a basis to study the relation o f autoimmune reactions to microbial infections. Early epidemiological investigations have been followed by studies on immunological cross-re activity and recently by studies on presentation of bacterial peptides by the HLA-B27 molecule. This introductory review briefly summarizes the evolution of the research, the goal of which still remains to clar ify the etiopathogenetic mechanisms of HLA-B27 associated diseases.