Arthritis
Arthritis is a disorder involving inflammation of the joints (described in the adult bone and joint section). Rheumatoid arthritis is an autoimmune disease where we destroy the lining of our joints; it has a significant genetic component responsible for up to 60 per cent of the development of the disease. It is associated particularly with certain tissue types. Osteoarthritis, commonly described as wear and tear arthritis, often runs in families, and it is thought that there are genetic influences accounting for more than 50 per cent of the likelihood of development of the disorder (with occupation being a major contributory environmental factor). Ankylosing spondylitis - an inflammatory disease of the spine is associated with a tissue type called HLA B27, though not all people with this tissue type develop the disorder.
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