Origins of spondyloarthropathy in Perissodactyla.

Title

Origins of spondyloarthropathy in Perissodactyla.

Creator

Rothschild B M; Prothero D R; Rothschild C

Publisher

Clinical and experimental rheumatology

Date

2001
2001-12

Description

OBJECTIVE: Spondyloarthropathy has clearly been documented as not limited in occurrence to humans. Transmammalian in nature, it is of interest to understand the antiquity, and perhaps the origins, of this disorder in animal groups sufficiently represented in the skeletal record. METHODS: Fossil and recent skeletons of perissodactylae from North America were systematically examined to determine the occurrence and population frequency of spondyloarthropathy. RESULTS: Spondyloarthropathy was the most common form of arthritis recognized in the extant and fossil records. Common in extinct families such as Brontotheriidae and Chalicotheriidae, a progressive increase in the frequency of spondyloarthropathy was observed through geologic time in Equidae and Rhinocerotidae. CONCLUSION: Erosive arthritis of the spondyloarthropathy variety is now documented as not only persisting in Perissodactyla, but as actually increasing significantly in frequency (3-6 fold). Given the unusual evolutionary penetrance of this "disease," the possibility must be considered that its persistence provides evidence for some unknown benefit to the affected host.

Subject

Animals; *Fossils; *Paleopathology; *Perissodactyla; Horse Diseases/history/*pathology; Horses; North America; Sacroiliac Joint/pathology; Spine/pathology; History; Ancient; Animal; Disease Models; Spondylitis; Ankylosing/history/*pathology

Rights

Article information provided for research and reference use only. All rights are retained by the journal listed under publisher and/or the creator(s).

Pages

628–632

Issue

6

Volume

19

Citation

Rothschild B M; Prothero D R; Rothschild C, “Origins of spondyloarthropathy in Perissodactyla.,” NEOMED Bibliography Database, accessed March 29, 2024, https://neomed.omeka.net/items/show/5598.