Ophthalmologic Manifestations of Ankylosing Spondylitis
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Ankylosing spondylitis is a chronic, progressive inflammatory disorder primarily affecting the axial skeleton. Ankylosing spondylitis is one of the seronegative spondyloarthropathies, a group of multisystem inflammatory diseases that affects the spine, peripheral joints, adjacent soft tissues, and extra-articular structures. Most of these disorders are associated with the human leukocyte antigen B27 (HLA-B27).
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@ajaad The exact role of HLA-B27 in the development of uveitis is not precisely known, but several theories for its role in disease exist. The oldest theory is that of molecular mimicry, in which an infectious agent triggers an immune response against autoantigens. The HLA-B27 antigen shares some amino acid homology with proteins from several gram-negative bacteria, including Yersinia enterocolitica, Shigella flexneri, and Chlamydia trachomatis, as well as from gram-negative bacteria found in the GI tract.