RA and Native Americans

[Strype]

I read a report suggesting a link between Native American heritage and RA. An online friend of mine asked if I had Native American heritage so I did some searching...

http://depts.washington.edu/rheum/respapers/nativeamericans.doc

http://aje.oxfordjournals.org/cgi/content/abstract/129/6/1170


Jon

[Strype]

Oh it also may be passed off as a common cold

[Strype]

Ebstein-Barr doesn't always show up for blood tests. I never tested positive for it myself but they knew what it was.

[txsilver]

so glad you found some common ground!  If I had native american blood in me I might be able to tan, but alas I am a pale Scot/Irish gal.  Never had mono either, but wanted to bump this up because it is a great thread!

[Strype]

One more thing I forgot to mention...

It would seem to me that a virus like EBV would spread more quickly through the native american society as they are more family oriented and live in close proximity to each other. If they already have a genetic predisposition to develop RA, might viruses like EBV be a trigger?

Who else here has had mono?

[Strype]

Ada could you pass these links onto your Dr.? I am due to see my family Dr. in 2 weeks. I want to contact my father's doctors but I really don't know how. I'd like to contact UAB as well.

I think these links are onto something.

Until we all get together and say, "Hey, we all have this in common Doctors," it's not gonna fly.

[spastic]

I did have a chance to look over these links, very, very interesting.  I am half Cherokee and half Irish, my rheumy has also said things about the links in our heritage and RA.  Never thought I would see some of the research on the matter, thank you.  I have tested positive for EBV and parvovirus and I am lucky I go to a research hospital who is looking for more autoimmune connections with parvovirus.  It seems that in some people it is not a simple virus.  

Ada

[Strype]

PS: I am at least 1/16 Cherokee and the RA follows that path. I forgot to mention that.

[Strype]

"The infectious agents that have been implicated as an infectious trigger of rheumatoid arthritis include Epstein-Barr virus, parvovirus, and bacteria such as Mycoplasma and Proteus (2).  However, the results from these studies have not been consistent."


Scary folks...


I was diagnosed with SEVERE mono when I was 17. Thoug hI never tested positive for mononucleosis, I tested negative for Strep and Leukemia. Therefore it was assumed that it was the Epstein-Barr virus. I also started smoking that same year. AND I drink an alcoholic drink every night. I was a caffiene nut. This interests me more than anything now...


You see what we need is to band together here and put a little insight into this and we can help solve it. Now granted I have NOT been diagnosed with RA but I do have osteo. And I do show the signs of RA. When i find out this next month I will know. It is looking like there may be some merit to this work.

[txsilver]

Very interesting!  Thanks for posting these links as I am certain they will be of interest to other members of our group.