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Selected Publication:
Erlacher, L; Wintersberger, W; Menschik, M; Benke-Studnicka, A; Machold, K; Stanek, G; Söltz-Szöts, J; Smolen, J; Graninger, W.
Reactive arthritis: urogenital swab culture is the only useful diagnostic method for the detection of the arthritogenic infection in extra-articularly asymptomatic patients with undifferentiated oligoarthritis.
Br J Rheumatol. 1995; 34(9):838-842
Doi: 10.1093/rheumatology/34.9.838
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- Leading authors Med Uni Graz
- Graninger Winfried
- Co-authors Med Uni Graz
- Graninger Monika
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- Abstract:
- Reactive arthritis (ReA) is a seronegative oligoarthritis triggered by a preceding extra-articular infection. While evidence of a microbial infection is mandatory for establishing the diagnosis of ReA, the sensitivity of bacteriological and serological tests has not been determined in patients without symptoms of infection. In a retrospective study, we evaluated the usefulness of urogenital swab cultures, serology and stool culture to identify infections in 234 patients with undifferentiated oligoarthritis. One hundred and forty-four patients complaining about joint pain who had no sign or history of inflammatory arthritis served as controls. Urogenital swab cultures showed a microbial infection in 44% of the patients with oligoarthritis (15% Chlamydia, 14% Mycoplasma, 28% Ureaplasma), whereas in the control group only 26% had a positive result (4% Chlamydia, 7% Mycoplasma, 21% Ureaplasma) (P < 0.001). A Chlamydia IgG-antibody titre > or = 1:256 was found in 22% of the patients in the oligoarthritis group and in 9% of the controls (P < 0.01). However, for only half of Chlamydia IgG-positive patients could a Chlamydia infection be confirmed by urogenital swab culture. Twenty-one per cent of patients with oligoarthritis vs 23% of the controls had positive antibody titres for Salmonella (not significant), 15% vs 5% for Yersinia (P < 0.05) and 17% vs 3% for Borrelia IgG (P < 0.01). In two patients, stool cultures were positive for Campylobacter. Urogenital swab culture is a sensitive diagnostic method to identify the triggering infection in ReA. A single determination of antibodies against Chlamydia trachomatis is of limited value because of the high prevalence of positive results in the control group.
- Find related publications in this database (using NLM MeSH Indexing)
- Adult -
- Arthritis, Reactive - diagnosis Arthritis, Reactive - immunology
- Cytodiagnosis -
- Feces - microbiology
- Female -
- HLA-B27 Antigen - analysis
- Humans -
- Male -
- Middle Aged -
- Serologic Tests -
- Urethra - microbiology
- Urogenital System - microbiology
- Vaginal Smears -
- Find related publications in this database (Keywords)
- REACTIVE ARTHRITIS
- OLIGOARTHRITIS
- UROGENITAL SWAB CULTURE
- SEROLOGY
- STOOL CULTURE
- CHLAMYDIA INFECTION