Chapter 43 – Rheumatoid Arthritis and Infections: More Than an Association?

Rheumatoid arthritis is a systemic disease manifested mainly as erosive arthritis. The aetiology of the disease is not fully understood, and it is believed to be multifactorial. Studies suggest that both environmental and genetic factors take part in the pathogenesis of rheumatoid arthritis. Several infectious agents have been associated with rheumatoid arthritis. The suggested pathway of pathogenesis is the production of citrullination enzymes, which modifies self-antigens to unrecognized proteins that induce an immune reaction. In this chapter, we review the current data about the association between rheumatoid arthritis and different infectious agents.