That's interesting that you mention ankylosing spondilitis, Becky. A friend of my sister's mother has this condition as well as crohn's disease. She was adopted, so she has been trying to track down her birth parents because of concerns that this might be passed down to her kids. It's also odd that she has this because the vast majority of patients are male.

I think that it's the way we deal with infections that might be at fault. I was reading that certain infections, like clamydia in the case of ankylosing and crohns, trigger the illness. For these conditions, I read that traces of clamydia can be found in the intestinal tracts and spinal fluid of many patients.

P.S. Sorry I never cite anything! I got this stuff from, 'what you're doctor may not tell you about autoimmunity.' It's so hot and the book is so far away right now! lol