[Value of microbiologic studies for diagnosis of post-enteritis reactive arthritis].

Reactive arthritis may develop within a period of some days until upto 3 weeks after infections with Yersinia enterocolitica, Yersinia pseudotuberculosis, Campylobacter jejuni/coli, Shigella and Salmonella. Intestinal infections with Klebsiella pneumoniae, Clostridium perfringens, Clostridium difficile, Cryptosporidium, Strongyloides stercoralis, Taenia saginata and Schistosoma mansoni are, in some cases, considered to be responsible for reactive arthritis. Detection of pathogenic bacteria in feces is generally most successful in the early stage of the infection. A large spectrum of special tests is required in order to detect all the causative agents and to ensure reliable results. It is therefore necessary that the laboratory is provided with information about the diagnostic object and the tentative diagnosis. The detection of serum antibodies to Y. enterocolitica, Y. pseudotuberculosis, C. jejuni/coli, and Schistosoma may suggest connections between infection and reactive arthritis.