DETECTION OF BACTERIAL-DNA IN JOINT SAMPLES FROM PATIENTS WITH UNDIFFERENTIATED ARTHRITIS AND REACTIVE ARTHRITIS, USING POLYMERASE-CHAIN-REACTION WITH UNIVERSAL 16S RIBOSOMAL-RNA PRIMERS

Objective. Bacteria are considered to be important in the pathogenesis of several forms of arthritis. The goal of this study was to apply th e 16S ribosomal RNA (rRNA)-polymerase chain reaction method for the de tection of bacterial DNA in synovial fluid (SF) and synovial tissue (S T) from inflamed joints. Methods. Samples from 5 patients with septic arthritis and from 7 with osteoarthritis or arthritis secondary to joi nt trauma were used as controls, Samples from 6 patients with spondyla rthropathy (SpA) and from 20 with undifferentiated arthritis (UA) were analyzed for the presence of bacterial DNA using universal 16S rRNA p rimers. Automated sequencing and comparative data analysis were perfor med to identify the species. Results. In the positive control group, t he bacterial species cultured from the synovium could be identified in all cases. No bacterial DNA was detected in the SF and ST from patien ts in the negative control group, In 4 of 6 patients with SpA and 7 of 20 with UA, the analysis of joint samples revealed the presence of ba cterial DNA, Sequence analysis indicated the presence of multiple spec ies, which was confirmed by sequencing of cloned products. Conclusion. When the the above techniques were used with a stringent regimen, we were able to demonstrate that it is possible to collect and analyze jo int samples without contaminating bacterial DNA, The accumulation of p hagocytic cells that contain bacterial DNA of various species could pl ay a role in the pathogenesis of both SpA and UA.