are prokaryotes, cellular organisms lacking any true nuclei and nuclear
membranes. Rather, the nuclear material of prokaryotes consists of a single
double-stranded DNA molecule, not associated with basic proteins. Mycoplasmas
are the smallest of all free-living self-replicating bacteria known.  They
possess no cell wall and only a limited genome of between 600 to 1500 kbp. This
characteristic makes them highly dependent upon their host for survival, much
like viruses. [2,3] Several studies implicate Mycoplasma species as cofactors
in numerous clinical conditions such as chronic fatigue syndrome, fibromyalgia,
rheumatoid arthritis, and the Gulf War syndrome. [4-6] If any patients exhibit
overlapping symptoms of chronic illnesses, Mycoplasma invasion should be
considered as a reason and defined by microscopic evaluation of the patients'
1970 Mycoplasma fermentans was first found in the synovial (joint) fluid of rheumatoid
arthritis patients. It has also been suspected of being associated with
other forms of arthritis as well according to the study published in the Journal
of Clinical Microbiology (January 2000; 38: 90-93). The synovial fluid of
patients with different types of arthritis was studied. M. fermentans was
detected in 88% of both the rheumatoid arthritis and non-rheumatoid arthritis
patients, including gout, reactive arthritis, pauciarticular juvenile chronic
arthritis, ankylosing spondylitis, and psoriatic arthritis. Four different
strains of the organism were found. Mycoplasma fermentans was not detected in
any of the osteoarthritis patients.
technology is one of the most sensitive ways to diagnose infections. It is a
gene amplification technique that can multiply incredibly minute portions of
the item being searched for. Given the ability to prove infection and the fact
that 50 years ago Dr. Brown realized that fighting the infection with
antibiotics was far better than using steroids. He was a major pioneer and helped
over ten thousand patients with RA. He has been dead for over ten years.
Traditional medicine uses antibiotics but there are far more effective natural
approaches available in our office
is important to note that this Mycoplasma is not restricted to inflammatory
arthritis patients and was actually detected in the saliva of 44% of healthy
people. Other forms of Mycoplasma have been proven to cause arthritis in
1. Grau, O., et al.
Development of PCR-based assays for the detection of two human mollicute
species. Mycoplasma penetrans and M. Hominia. Molecular and Cellular Probes
2. Baseman, J.B. and Tully,
J.G. Mycoplasmas: Sophisticated, reemerging, and burdened by their notoriety.
Emerging Infectious Diseases 3:21-32, 1997.
3.) Lo, Sk.C., et at.
Virus-like infectious agent (VLIA) is a novel pathogenic Mycoplasma: Mycoplasma
incognitus. American Journal of Tropical Medicine and Hygiene 41:586-600, 1989.
4.) Vojdani, A., et al.
Detection of Mycoplasma genes and Mycoplasma fermentans by PCR in patients with
chronic fatigue syndrome. FEMS 1998.
5. Schaeverbeke, T. et at.
Systematic detection of Mycoplasmas by culture and polymerase chain reaction
(PCR) in 209 synovial fluid samples. British Journal of Rheumatology 36:310-314,
6. Nicolson, G.L., and
Nicolson, N.L. Diagnosis and treatment of Mycoplasmal infections in Persian
Gulf War Illness-CFIDS patients. International Journal of Occupational
Medicine, Immunology and Toxicology 5(1):69-78, 1996.
7. Buchwald, D., and Garrity,
D. Comparison of patients with chronic fatigue syndrome, fibromyalgia, and
multiple chemical sensitivities. Archives of internal Medicine
8. Ziem, G., and Done, A.
Chronic infections as a common etiology for many patients with chronic fatigue
syndrome, fibromyalgia, and Gulf War Illness. International Journal of Medicine