HLA-B27/human β2-microglobulin (hβ2M) transgenic rats were immunised with heat-inactivated Mycobacterium tuberculosis (MT) to develop spondylitis and arthritis as an experimental SpA model after immunisation with a keyhole limpet hemocyanin-conjugated IL17A peptide-based vaccine with an alum adjuvant three times. The gene discussed is IL17A; the disease is spondylitis.