Arthritis and Chlamydia Pneumoniae

Doxycycline versus doxycycline and rifampin in undifferentiated spondyloarthropathy, with special reference to chlamydia-induced arthritis a; 9 month study [1]A combinaiton protocol is effective here vs a monotherapy.

-Antibiotic treatment of arthritis [2] Osteoarthritis when treated with doxycycline has significantly reduced joint space narrowing 40% better than controls.

Persisitant CPn and Arthritis [3] Great paper overviews the concept of CPn and C. trachomatis as causitive agents in arthritis.

Sjogren's and CPn [4]

Chlamydia pneumoniae--a new causative agent of reactive arthritis and undifferentiated oligoarthritis

Find the article at: http://www.pubmedcentral.nih.gov/articlerender.fcgi?artid=1005260 [5]

Abstract

OBJECTIVE--To examine whether reactive arthritis (ReA) known to occur after a urogenital infection with Chlamydia trachomatis can also follow an infection with Chlamydia pneumoniae, a recently described species of Chlamydiae that is a common cause of respiratory tract infectionsi [6]. METHODS--Specific antibodies (microimmunofluorescence test) and lymphocyte proliferation to C trachomatis and C pneumoniae in paired samples of peripheral blood and synovial fluid were investigated in 70 patients with either reactive arthritis (ReA) or undifferentiated oligoarthritis (UOA). RESULTS--Five patients with acute ReA after an infection with C pneumoniae are reported. Three had a symptomatic preceding upper respiratory tract infection and two had no such symptoms. In all patients a C pneumoniae-specific lymphocyte proliferation in synovial fluid and a high specific antibody titre suggesting an acute infection was found. CONCLUSION--C pneumoniae needs to be considered a new important cause of reactive arthritis.