Staphylococcus aureus triggered reactive arthritis.

OBJECTIVES

To report two patients who developed reactive arthritis in association with Staphylococcus aureus infection.

METHODS

A review of the case notes of two patients.

RESULTS

Two adult female patients have developed sterile arthritis in association with Staph aureus infection. The first patient has had two episodes of arthritis; the first followed olecranon bursitis, the second followed infection of a central venous catheter used for dialysis. The second patient developed sterile arthritis while being treated for pyomyositis. Both patients had a self limited arthritis and were HLA-B27 negative.

CONCLUSION

Reactive arthritis may rarely follow Staph aureus infection. HLA-B27 negativity may be associated with a self limited arthritis in these cases.