Reactive arthritis represents a chronic type of arthritis for which the next three conditions are typical of. Firstly it is the inflammation of the joints, secondly it is inflamed eyes (conjuctivitis), and eventually it is inflammation in the gastrointestinal, genital, and urinary systems.
This form of the inflammation of the joints is reactive arthritis because the immunity is involved and it responds to the bacterial infections found in the urinary, gastrointestinal, genital systems. Some people’s immune systems are actually genetically susceptible to respond abnormally when these areas are affected by certain bacteria. Such a respond of the immunity can lead to immediate inflammation of the joints and eyes.
Reactive arthritis was also called in past Reiter syndrome. Reactive arthritis affects mostly people of 30- 40 years old, though the disease can show up at any age.
Reactive arthritis is a systemic rheumatic disorder. It affects other organs ( not joints) and evolves inflammation of such tissues as skin, mouth, eyes, lungs, heart and kidneys. Reactive arthritis has many common features with other arthritis types, like ancylosing spondilitis, psoriatic arthritis, also arthritis related to Cohn’s disease as well as ulcerative colitis. The arthritis types can provoke similar disorder and inflammation of the joints, spine as well as mouth, skin, eyes, and different organs.
Causes
As we have already mentioned before reactive arthritis is partially genetic. Particular genetic markers exist that are more common in people having reactive arthritis compared to the rest of population. For instance, the gene HLA-B27 is generally detected in people suffering from reactive arthritis. In individuals with genetic predisposition reactive arthritis develops more often, but, exposure to some infections is a condition for the disease onset.
It is also worth mentioning that reactive arthritis very often occurs after some genital infections. The most wide spread bacteria related to the post-venereal reactive arthritis type is Chlamydia trachomatis. In fact, reactive arthritis breaks out in people who suffered from infectious dysentery, and with bacteria in the bowel (yersinia, shigella, campylobacter, salmonella). Arthritis generally develops 1 to 3 weeks after a bacterial infection occurence.