Investigation and diagnosis of oral bacterial species and measurement of the levels of (TNF-α, Interleukin 17 and 32) in patients with rheumatoid arthritis in Iraq | ||||
| Microbes and Infectious Diseases | ||||
| Articles in Press, Accepted Manuscript, Available Online from 06 September 2025 | ||||
| Document Type: Original Article | ||||
| DOI: 10.21608/mid.2025.394597.2905 | ||||
 View on SCiNiTO | ||||
| Authors | ||||
Mohammed Fadhil Faraj  ; Sundus Jassim Muhammad
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| Department of Biology, College of Science, University of Tikrit, Tikrit, Iraq | ||||
| Abstract | ||||
| Background: Rheumatoid arthritis (RA) is a chronic inflammatory autoimmune disease that may be triggered by infectious agents that cause inflammation in synovial tissues. This study explores the bacterial and immune factors underlying rheumatoid arthritis by examining the role of oral bacteria and assessing serum levels of IL17, IL32, and TNF-α in patients compared to a control group. Methods: The study constituted 80 participants, distributed among 60 patients with rheumatoid arthritis and 20 healthy individuals. Oral swabs were taken from all participants and cultured on spscific media to identify bacteria. In addition to, a 6 ml blood sample was also collected, and centrifuged to separate sera. The concentrations of tumor necrosis factor alpha, interleukin 17, and interleukin 32 were assessed using ELISA. Results: The findings of culture exhibited different bacterial species with different rates as follows: Streptococcus mutans (71.67%), Staphylococcus aureus (56.67%), Streptococcus pyogenes (41.67%), Actinomyces (31.67%), Lactobacillus (21.67%), and Streptococcus pneumoniae (11.67%). Sera analysis revealed significant differences between the two groups. The mean rates of TNF-α, Interleukin 17, and 32 were (235.70 ±19.65, 107.77 ±13.08, and 59.38 ±6.61, respectively) for patients compared to the control group (160.64 ±7.50, 85.17 ±5.83, 31.89 ±4.52). Also, the study found that RA is more prevalent among women than men and increases with age. Conclusion: Rheumatoid arthritis patients exhibit distinct oral bacterial profiles and elevated levels of pro-inflammatory cytokines (TNF-α, IL-17, and IL-32) compared to healthy individuals, suggesting a potential link between oral bacteria, immune response, and the pathogenesis of RA. | ||||
| Keywords | ||||
| RA; ELISA; Oral bacteria; IL TNF-α | ||||
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