Importantly, when we assessed MBL levels in a cohort of patients suffering from non-inflammatory osteoarthritis, we found no evidence for elevated MBL levels (mean MBL levels of 57.8±24.8 ng/ml [n = 5 patients with severe osteoarthritis]) compared to MBL levels of 485±163.7 ng/ml in patients with severe RRV induced disease and 218.5±82.4 ng/ml within the synovial fluid of patients with mild RRV-induced disease, suggesting that elevated levels of MBL are not simply the result of arthritis symptoms within the joints. The gene discussed is MBL2; the disease is arthritic joint disease.