<unk>  <unk>  is the result of previous gastrointestinal or genitourinary infections, which results in an autoimmune condition. The most commonly associated organisms include Chlamydia, Yersinia, Salmonella, Shigella, and Campylobacter infection. In fourth century B.C, Hippocrates was the first to associate the presence of<unk>  and infection in the genitourinary tract. In 1818, Sir Benjamin Brodie, an English physician was the first to describe the triad of urethritis,<unk> , and conjunctivitis. It is estimated around 75% patients of<unk>  are positive for HLA-B27. The exact mechanism by which infecting organism cause<unk>  is not fully understood. It is thought that microbial antigens are similar to certain body proteins (self proteins). When an immune response is mounted against the microbial proteins, the antibodies produced against microbial proteins also<unk> cts with the self proteins of the body causing<unk> .<unk>  <unk>  can be classified on the basis of previous gastrointestinal (GI) or genitourinary (GU) infection in to venereal or dysenteric<unk> .<unk>  should be distinguished from other HLA-B27 diseases causing<unk>  of the peripheral skeleton, which present as arthralgia. The differentials include psoriatic<unk> , rheumatoid<unk>  and ankylosing spondylitis. The incidence of<unk>  following a gastrointestinal or genitourinary infection is approximately 3-27 cases per 100,000 individuals worldwide. The prevalence of<unk>  is approximately 30-40 cases per 100,000 individuals worldwide. If left untreated, patients with<unk>  may progress to develop myalgias and joint pain especially in the lower extremities.<unk>  is diagnosed based on the clinical presentation with supporting laboratory evidence. The gold standard for diagnosis of<unk>  include spondyloarthritis and clear evidence of preceding infection by culture or polymerase chain<unk> ction. The majority of cases (two-thirds) of<unk>  are self-limited and require only supportive care.<unk>  is the most common symptom and initially treated with NSAIDs. As the disease progresses or in case of no response, further management includes intra-articular and systemic steroids, DMARDs and finally TNF inhibitors. The role of antibiotics in<unk>  is not clear and their efficacy in<unk>  is not completely established. Surgical intervention is not recommended for the management of<unk> . However, young adults who develop a chronic course may benefit from arthroscopic synovectomy. Patients with severe<unk>  with involvement of heart and vitreous chamber may require valve replacement surgery and vitrectomy respectively.
Reactive arthritis
Rheumatoid arthritis
Psoriatic arthritis
Crystal arthritis
Juvenile idiopathic arthritis
Oligoarthritis
Enteropathic arthropathy
Septic arthritis