Microbiological factors in osteoarthritis

Introduction Osteoarthritis (OA) is a common polyetiological disease of the musculoskeletal system, leading to disability. The condition can prevent a person from work, affect mental health, increasing mortality and affecting health care resources around the world as a current and future disease burden. OA had been considered an aseptic disease in the past and now the microbiological factor is viewed as one of the significant etiological aspects of the condition.

The objective was to summarize the literature data on the role of microorganisms in the etiology and pathogenesis of osteoarthritis, including concomitant HIV infection.

Material and methods The original literature search (2010 to 2023) was conducted on key resources including Scientific Electronic Library (www.elibrary.ru) and the National Library of Medicine (www.pubmed.org). Literature searches included both Russian and English studies reporting the effect of microbiological factors on the development of arthropathy.

Results and discussion New, more advanced microbiological diagnostic methods have been used. There has been evidence of a variety of microorganisms including pathogenic and opportunistic pathogens in the absence of  clinical and radiological signs of arthritis. This changes ideas about the etiology and  pathogenesis of degenerative processes in the articular cartilage and necessitates a revision of treatment protocols for some joint diseases. Multicenter comprehensive studies of the microbiome of joint formations, blood and intestines are needed.

Conclusions The presence of pathogenic microflora in the joint structures is evident in a significant number of  observations. There is evidence of a local infectious process in the local cellular elements of osteochondral tissue in patients with previously diagnosed aseptic osteoarthritis. Intestinal microbiomes and the urogenital tract are most common sources of infection. A local influence of the immunodeficiency virus on the development of osteonecrotic processes in joint formations can be suggested in HIV patients.

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