Hi
On average IBD and Spondy patients have increased levels of antibodies to bakers/brewers yeast (Saccharomyces cerevisiae) compared to the general population. Here is a recent paper on ASCA and spondyloarthritis -
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/21305298Some IBD researchers think that yeast antibodies might be a marker for gut inflammation: "Our investigations started with the development of the ASCA test (detection of anti-S. cerevisiae (mannan) antibodies), allowing large scale serological studies on a chemically-defined yeast antigen. This test revealed that ASCA were potent serological markers, present in 60% of CD patients and 20% of their healthy relatives (HR) compared with only 7% of control subjects." -
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/20203505 "It is conceivable that ASCA positivity correlates with the (auto-) immune inflammation of small intestines and it is a specific marker of Crohn's disease." -
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/14562398There is some evidence that the ASCA antibodies might be due to candida albicans: "ASCAs could result from an altered immune response to C. albicans. In CD, a subsequent alteration in sensing C. albicans colonization could occur with disease onset." -
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/19471251Clinical and experimental data have revealed that the major oligomannose epitopes supporting ASCA are expressed by C. albicans in human tissues, suggesting that C. albicans is the immunogen for ASCA. This putative link has been reinforced by the recent demonstration that novel serological markers of CD (ALCA and ACCA), consisting of antibodies against synthetic disaccharide fragments of chitin and glucan (components of the C. albicans cell wall), are also generated during C. albicans infection. Mycological investigation of families with multiple cases of CD has shown that CD patients and their HR are more likely to be colonized with C. albicans than control families. In HR, C. albicans colonization correlated with ASCA levels whereas disease onset was associated with ASCA stability and independence from C. albicans intestinal load." -
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/20203505"In a series of studies following the original description of ASCA, we demonstrated that in contrast with the iniquitous yeast S cerevisiae, not adapted for surviving in the digestive tract, C albicans was an immunogen for ASCA, that other CD serological markers named anti-laminaribioside carbohydrate antibody and anti-chitobioside carbohydrate antibody against glucans and antichitin (which are yeast cell wall polysaccharides as well as mannnan) were also generated by C albicans pathogenic development and, finally, that in families with CD, patients and also their first-degree relatives were colonised by C albicans in association with the presence of ASCA, suggesting a genetic defect in C albicans sensing." -
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/23232049So it could be worth experimenting with a yeast free diet. In one study on Crohn's disease patients with raised antibodies to bakers yeast, a yeast exclusion group had lower disease activity than the group that took supplementary yeast capsules indicating that intake of food allergens can adversely affect gut health -
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/1502481 I am also allergic to casein (so is Sue) and I have found I do much better on a no dairy diet. In a trial of dairy elimination in SpA patients, 17/24 patients reported improvements, 8 were able to discontinue NSAIDs and in a two year follow up 6 no longer required any drug therapy -
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC1005380/If you are going to investigate the potential candida connection, this site has some good info -
http://www.nleducation.co.uk/resources/reviews/c-albicans-does-it-really-have-a-sweet-tooth/ . Also anti-fungal pharmaceuticals like nystatin may be effective.