Reactive arthritis is an auto-immune disorder which mostly remains under diagnosed. Women are more prone to this disease and its exact incidence is very difficult to determine. This article tries to gain further insight on this topic.
It is caused by an infection in other part of the body by a bacteria called as Chlamydia trachomatis. Inflammation of large joints, eyes, urethritis in men, cervicitis in women and psoriasis-like skin lesions are commonly seen in patients affected with this disease.
They belong mostly to the age group 20-40 years and men are at higher risk of developing this ailment than women. How the infection leads to this condition is not fully understood yet.
Symptoms of Reactive Arthritis:
The signs of this condition can become apparent anywhere within 4-35 days of the infection. Some of the signs to look out for are:
- Increased frequency of urination
- Burning sensation while passing urine
- Swelling of prostate gland in men
- Salpingitis, cervicitis and vulvovaginitis in women
- Swelling and pain in knee
- Eye pain in 50-75 percent patients
- Irritation
- Blurred vision
- Redness of eye
- Penile lesions in 20-40 percent men
- Hard nodules in the soles of the feet and on palms of the hand
- Mouth ulcers which come and go
- Gastrointestinal problems
- Inflammation of a fibrous sac surrounding the heart seen in 10 percent patients
- Leaking of blood from one of the valves of heart
Existence of this disease cannot be diagnosed positively as there are no definite criteria as of now. There are some guidelines available, published by the American College of Rheumatology, which are followed by the doctors instead.
Treatment of Reactive Arthritis:
Identification and killing of the bacteria which is the primary source of infection is done using antibiotics in the initial stages. Chlamydia trachomatis is mostly responsible for causing this form of arthritis in the United States. But there are other bacteria too which cause this disorder like Yersinia spp., Campylobacter spp., Salmonella spp., Shigella spp., and Ureaplasma urealyticum.
Otherwise, treatment in based upon the evident symptoms. When the disease is in the severe stage, immunosuppressants, analgesics and steroids are used to treat it.
