Mycoplasmal infection in patients with reactive arthritis and seronegative spondyloarthropaties

Irena Butrimienė^{1, 2}, Jelena Ranceva¹, Algimantas Griškevičius³

¹Institute of Experimental and Clinical Medicine, Vilnius University, ²Clinic of Rheumatology, Gerontology and Dermatovenerology, Vilnius University, ³AIDS Central laboratory, Lithuania

Key words: reactive arthritis, undifferentiated spondyloarthropathies, mycoplasmal infection.

Summary. After investigation of 150 patients with reactive arthritis and undifferentiated spondyloarthropathies, inflammation signs of urogenital tract (uretritis in men and endocervicitis in women) were found in about 2/3 of patients. In those patients with reactive arthritis and undifferentiated spondyloarthropathies Ureaplazma urealyticum was found in more than 1/4 of patients, Mycoplasma hominis – in 1/10 of patients, and both microbes appeared in 1/10 of patients. Micoplasmal infection occurred in equal frequency in patients with reactive arthritis and undifferentiated spondyloarthropathies with a tendency to appear more in women than in men.

Correspondence to I. Butrimienė, Clinic of Rheumatology, Gerontology and Dermatovenerology, Vilnius University, Santariškių 2, 2021 Vilnius. E-mail: laf@takas.lt.

Received 21 March 2003, accepted 22 May 2003