Reactive arthropathies

Definition

In 1999, during the Fourth International Workshop on Reactive Arthritis in Berlin, a consensus was reached to use the term reactive arthritis only if the clinical picture and the triggering pathogens are "typical." The typical pathogen and most common cause of genital infections is Chlamydia trachomatis; 4% of infected patients develop reactive arthritis. Typical microbes in the gastrointestinal tract include Yersinia, Salmonella, Shigella, Campylobacter, and less frequently, Clostridium difficile. Besides these classic pathogens, there is a growing list of other alleged candidates, such as arthritis developing after vaccination and exposure to environmental factors, such as silica.

Coding Note

Exclusions

• Acute rheumatic fever
• Behçet disease