Dubai is no stranger to the burger, with hundreds of outlets littered across the city and new restaurants launching every month. Many of us also like to wash down a burger with a milkshake. Unfortunately, aside from the risk of obesity and other weight-related issues, new research has suggested you may also be increasing your chances of developing the chronic joint disease, rheumatoid arthritis. Scientists from the US have identified bacteria that is found in both milk and beef that they have linked to the disease.
Arthritis occurs when the body’s immune system mistakenly attacks healthy cells, causing inflammation around the joints. The scientists found bacteria, which is found in approximately 50 per cent of cows. This bacteria, which is called mycobacterium avium subspecies paratuberculosis (MAP), was found to trigger this reaction in people who were genetically at risk from the condition.
For their research, scientists looked at blood samples from 100 people. They found that 78 per cent of people who had arthritis had the gene, PTPN2/22, which they associated with the genetic probability of developing the condition. Of these, 40 per cent of the arthritis also had MAP bacteria in their bloodstream, leading them to identify it as an increased risk factor.
Researcher Dr Saleh Naser said, “We believe that individuals born with this genetic mutation and who are later exposed to MAP through consuming contaminated milk or meat from infected cattle are at a higher risk of developing rheumatoid arthritis.” The study was published in Frontiers in Cellular and Infection Microbiology.
