Press Release Summary = What causes reactive arthritis is a question that exercises
the minds of many doctors. Some people with reactive arthritis symptoms go on to get
the disease while others do not.
Press Release Body =
What Is Reactive Arthritis?
Reactive arthritis is a form of arthritis, or joint inflammation, that occurs as a
\"reaction\" to an infection elsewhere in the body. Inflammation is a characteristic
reaction of tissues to injury or disease and is marked by swelling, redness, heat,
and pain. Besides this joint inflammation, reactive arthritis is associated with two
other symptoms: redness and inflammation of the eyes (conjunctivitis) and
inflammation of the urinary tract (urethritis). These symptoms may occur alone,
together, or not at all.
Reactive arthritis is also known as Reiter's syndrome, and your doctor may refer to
it by yet another term, as a seronegative spondyloarthropathy. The seronegative
spondyloarthropathies are a group of disorders that can cause inflammation
throughout the body, especially in the spine. (Examples of other disorders in this
group include psoriatic arthritis, ankylosing spondylitis, and the kind of arthritis
that sometimes accompanies inflammatory bowel disease.)
In many patients, reactive arthritis is triggered by a venereal infection in the
bladder, the urethra, or, in women, the vagina (the urogenital tract) that is often
transmitted through sexual contact. This form of the disorder is sometimes called
genitourinary or urogenital reactive arthritis. Another form of reactive arthritis
is caused by an infection in the intestinal tract from eating food or handling
substances that are contaminated with bacteria. This form of arthritis is sometimes
called enteric or gastrointestinal reactive arthritis.
The symptoms of reactive arthritis usually last 3 to 12 months, although symptoms
can return or develop into a long-term disease in a small percentage of people.
What Causes Reactive Arthritis?
Reactive arthritis typically begins about 1 to 3 weeks after infection. The
bacterium most often associated with reactive arthritis is Chlamydia trachomatis,
commonly known as chlamydia (pronounced kla-MID-e-a). It is usually acquired through
sexual contact. Some evidence also shows that respiratory infections with Chlamydia
pneumonia may trigger reactive arthritis.
Infections in the digestive tract that may trigger reactive arthritis include
Salmonella, Shigella, Yersinia, and Campylobacter. People may become infected with
these bacteria after eating or handling improperly prepared food, such as meats that
are not stored at the proper temperature.
Doctors do not know exactly why some people exposed to these bacteria develop
reactive arthritis and others do not, but they have identified a genetic factor,
human leukocyte antigen (HLA) B27, that increases a person\'s chance of developing
reactive arthritis. Approximately 80 percent of people with reactive arthritis test
positive for HLA-B27. However, inheriting the HLA-B27 gene does not necessarily mean
you will get reactive arthritis. Eight percent of healthy people have the HLA-B27
gene, and only about one-fifth of them will develop reactive arthritis if they
contract the triggering infections.
2025
