Is Osteoarthritis a State of Joint Dysbiosis?

Osteoarthritis (OA) has traditionally been defined as a degenerative joint disease driven by mechanical wear, aging, and metabolic disturbances. However, emerging evidence suggests that joint dysbiosis, a dysregulation in the joint microbiome, may play an important role in OA pathogenesis. This revi...

Full description

Saved in:
Bibliographic Details
Main Authors: Mincong He, Frank Kolhoff, Michael A. Mont, Javad Parvizi
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: MDPI AG 2025-06-01
Series:Antibiotics
Subjects:
Online Access:https://www.mdpi.com/2079-6382/14/6/609
Tags: Add Tag
No Tags, Be the first to tag this record!
Description
Summary:Osteoarthritis (OA) has traditionally been defined as a degenerative joint disease driven by mechanical wear, aging, and metabolic disturbances. However, emerging evidence suggests that joint dysbiosis, a dysregulation in the joint microbiome, may play an important role in OA pathogenesis. This review explores the mechanisms linking dysbiosis to OA. We examine the presence and origin of joint dysbiosis, also highlighting the gut–joint and oral–joint axes as potential routes for microbial translocation. However, challenges remain in distinguishing causation from correlation and addressing microbial contaminants in microbiome studies. Future research should prioritize longitudinal studies and multiomics integration to elucidate the complex interplay between microbial communities and joint health.
ISSN:2079-6382