Reactive arthritis

A chronic form of arthritis featuring the following three conditions: (1) inflamed joints; (2) inflammation of the eyes (conjunctivitis); and (3) inflammation of the genital, urinary or gastrointestinal system.

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reactive arthritis n acute arthritis that sometimes develops following a bacterial infection (as with the bacteria of the genera Shigella, Salmonella, or Chlamydia)

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acute aseptic arthritis occurring after bacterial infection of the gastrointestinal or genital tracts or other distant site; it is often characterized by lower limb involvement, psoriasiform lesions of skin and mucous membranes, and eye lesions, but the defining factor is the temporal relation to infection. It usually affects young adults and runs a self-limited but relapsing course. Most patients have increased levels of the histocompatibility antigen HLA-B27. It may represent an abnormal immune response to infection, perhaps with a hereditary susceptibility. Cf. Reiter syndrome.