[Pathogenesis of Bechterew disease].

The etiopathogenesis of ankylosing spondylitis is still incompletely understood. HLA-B27 is important as more than 90% of the patients possess the antigen, but how this genetic marker confers disease susceptibility is yet to be understood. Recent studies of families and twins affected by ankylosing spondylitis have shown that additional non-HLA-B27 genes are necessary for disease development. The exogenous agent initiating chronic inflammation is yet to be identified, but Klebsiella pneumoniae remains a candidate. The microorganism may act through the intestinal canal as more than 60% of the patients exhibit inflammatory changes in the bowel.