In a development which is all set to make treatment for spine-fusing type of arthritis better, scientists have been able to identify two genes which seem to have very strong links to the condition.

Ankylosing Spondylitis, commonly referred to as AS, can lead to patients becoming "fixed" in a bent position, all the while looking at their feet, and the identification of the two genes responsible for the inflammatory processes in the human body could assist in helping the development of a treatment for the problem.

According to a charity, findings of the experts from Oxford, the US and Australia are definitely "a long-awaited breakthrough".

Presently, the treatments offered only slightly tends to relieve the symptoms of the problematic condition with physiotherapy and painkillers, but some patients are also being put on an antibody treatment, which can cost up-to 10,000 Pounds a year.

Details of the study have been published in Nature Genetics.