Family survey of Reiter's disease

A case of Reiter's disease complicated by fulminating colitis

We describe a patient who, 6 months after the onset of Reiter's disease associated with a destructive peripheral arthritis and keratodermia blenorrhagica, developed fulminating colitis. The possible relationship between Reiter's disease and ulcerative colitis is discussed, and the need for further family studies to assess its validity is stressed.

Discordance for ankylosing spondylitis in monozygotic twins

Three monozygotic twin pairs, each over the age of 45 years, with ankylosing spondylitis are described. In two pairs there is discordance for this disease and in the third pair there is a marked difference in the severity of this disease. These findings provide evidence that environmental factors are necessary not only for the initial development of ankylosing spondylitis, but possibly also for determining its future severity.

Importance of the so-called 'other' sexually-transmitted diseases

(1) Some data are presented concerning the frequency and potential morbidity of sexually-transmitted organisms other than T. pallidum or N. gonorrhoeae. (2) Most of the diseases with which these organisms are associated are more prevalent than syphilis and some, at least in one sex, are as common as gonorrhoea. A number appear to carry considerable morbidity, which in the case of Type II herpes virus--if it is responsible for cervical cancer--may ultimately cause more fatalities than syphilis. (3) It is concluded: (a) that, if syphilis and gonorrhoea were reduced to the point of representing no public health concern, many other sexually-transmitted conditions would still remain to pose significant problems: and (b) that health education and other methods of prevention should, where possible, be designed to take into consideration the epidemiological implications of the other organisms listed.