[Rheumatism and urogenital infection]

The antiinfectious treatment of rheumatic diseases is certainly very old, but it has gained increased significance as a result of new bacteriological and immunological findings. Urogenital infection as a possible trigger mechanism in reactive arthritides and ankylosing spondylitis was investigated particularly thoroughly. Many experimental, immunological and clinical results indicate a pathogenetic role of infections with chlamydia or mycoplasma in inflammatory rheumatic diseases. However, numerous tests on cultures proved negative, and many serological-immunological findings are inconsistent. The "link" between urogenital infection and rheumatic diseases is still unknown. Of particular interest are the relations between chlamydial prostatitis and ankylosing spondylitis. Earlier findings on the induction of osteogenesis from undifferentiated connective tissue cells by epithelial cells from the prostate could be a basis for further research.