ABSTRACT

During the past 10 years nonpurulent arthritis associated with Yersinia enterocolitica infections has been described in several countries. In fact, it seems to be one of the most common forms of reactive arthritis. Data obtained from patients with Yersinia are not especially informative in this respect, since most cases of Yersinia infection, although capable of triggering the arthritis, are mild and the patients do not seek medical care for the infection. Yersinia arthritis does not result from a direct microbial invasion of the joint, but is more likely to be related to some host response. Patients with seropositive rheumatoid arthritis show an increased frequency of Yersinia agglutinins, compared with healthy controls, but the same also holds true for many other bacterial antibodies. A definite diagnosis of a current Y. enterocolitica infection can be made only by the isolation of Y. enterocolitica from the patient together with the demonstration of a rising antibody titer.