BACTERIAL POLYATHRITIS

Background: Polyarthritis is an uncommon presenting symptom in non gonococcal infections.Objectives: The aim of this study was to show the occurrence and outcome of culture positive bacterial polyarthritis in our department.Methods: Patients and Method: The patients chosen were those admitted between 1999-2002 for polyarthritis (P) with positive blood or/and synovial fluid cultures.Results: Results: 6 patients were studied, 1 man and 5 women, age 25-65 years. The microorganisms isolated were Staphylococcus aureus (SU) in 2, Streptococcus agalactiae (SA) in 2, Heamophilus influenzae (HI) and Ureoplasma urealiticum (UU). In 4 the presenting symptoms were fever with asymmetric P, 1 fever with migratory P (UU) and the last one symmetric P without fever (HI). Blood and synovial fluid WBC were high in 5 and ESR and CRP in all. Extra-articular manifestations included erythema nodosum (UU), pericarditis and pleuritis (HI), endocarditis and osteomyelitis (SU) and tendinitis (HI, UU). Risk factors were diabetes mellitus (SU), liver cirrhosis (SA) and high IV corticosteroid therapy (SU). The joints involved mostly were knees (6), ankles (5), shoulder (4), elbow (4), sternoclavicular (3), MTP (2) and MCP (2). All the patients having undergone aggressive IV antibiotic treatment are well.Conclusion: Although polyarthritis is rare in bacterial non-gonococcal infections we must always be aware of this possibility because early diagnosis and treatment is mandatory.Citation: , volume , supplement , year 2003, page Session: Infection related rheumatic diseases