[Triggering bacterial infections in reactive arthritis].

108 patients, 75 men and 33 women, mean age 35 years, with reactive arthritis were studied by microbiological and serological methods for identification of a probable triggering infection. In 32 of the patients a Chlamydia infection, in 30 patients--Yersinia infection, in 7 patients--Staphylococcus infection and in 4 patients--Shigella infection were found. In 27 patients no infectious agent was found but in 4 of them a positive CBR for chlamydia in the sex partner was found. The course of the arthritis is acute or subacute, oligo- or polyarthritis, involving mainly the large joints of the legs. The clinical picture of the arthritis is similar for all etiological forms. This implies a systematic microbiological and serological examination of the patients in order to find out the triggering infection and its appropriate treatment with antibiotics.