Recurrent sterile arthritis following primary septic meningococcal arthritis.

Primary septic meningococcal arthritis (PSMA) is an unusual manifestation of meningococcal disease. With appropriate antibiotic therapy, complete recovery is the rule. A "postinfectious arthritis" in the previously infected joint may ensue, however. A patient who developed a recurrent sterile arthritis following PSMA, after a symptom-free interval, is described. Possible pathogenetic mechanisms and the clinical implications are discussed.