All conditions
Inflammatory arthritis
Reactive Arthritis
Also known as: Post-infectious arthritis
Joint inflammation that develops a few weeks after a gut or genital infection.
Video lesson
What it is
Reactive arthritis is a form of spondyloarthritis triggered by infections such as Salmonella, Shigella, Campylobacter or Chlamydia. The infection may be mild or unnoticed. It is more likely in people who carry HLA-B27.
Symptoms
Painful swelling of knees, ankles or feet, heel pain, sausage toes, low back pain, red irritated eyes and burning with urination.
How it’s diagnosed
Diagnosis rests on the timing after an infection and the pattern of symptoms. Stool or urine tests, joint fluid analysis, inflammatory markers and HLA-B27 can help.
Treatment
NSAIDs and joint injections ease symptoms. Active chlamydia is treated with antibiotics. Persistent arthritis may need sulfasalazine, methotrexate or a biologic.
Living with it
Most people recover within 6 to 12 months, though some have recurrences. Safe food handling and safer sex reduce triggering infections.
At a glance
Category
Inflammatory arthritis
Also known as
Post-infectious arthritis
Reviewed by Farhan Tahir, MD, FACR
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