Skip to main content
SpringerLink
Log in

Reiter’s syndrome

  • Chapter
Prognosis in the Rheumatic Diseases

Abstract

Reiter’s syndrome is a postinfectious syndrome characterized by arthritis, conjunctivitis, and urethritis or cervicitis. In 1916 Hans Reiter described the case of a Prussian cavalry officer serving in the Balkans who developed arthritis, urethritis, and conjunctivitis 8 days following a diarrheal illness. Reiter attributed the condition to a spirochetal or syphilitic type of infection, although the patient denied venereal exposure1. Reiter was not the first to describe these symptoms. Among others the disease process had already been described by Sir Benjamin Brodie in 18182. A more extensive survey of the historical literature is cited by Paronen3, Calin4, and Keat5. The eponym, Reiter’s syndrome, is now attached to reactive arthritis occurring after such diseases as Shigella flexneri dysentery3,6–13, Salmonella typhimurium 7,13–21, Yersinia enterocolitica 13,22–30, Campylobader jejuni enterocolitis31-36, and Chlamydia trachomatis urogenital infections37-46.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this chapter

Log in via an institution
Chapter
USD 29.95
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Available as PDF
  • Read on any device
  • Instant download
  • Own it forever
eBook
USD 39.99
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Available as EPUB and PDF
  • Read on any device
  • Instant download
  • Own it forever
Softcover Book
USD 54.99
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Compact, lightweight edition
  • Dispatched in 3 to 5 business days
  • Free shipping worldwide - see info

Tax calculation will be finalised at checkout

Purchases are for personal use only

Institutional subscriptions

Preview

Unable to display preview. Download preview PDF.

Unable to display preview. Download preview PDF.

References

  1. Reiter, A. (1916). Uber ein bisher uner kannte spirochaeten infektion (spirochaetosis arthritica).

    Google Scholar 

  2. Brodie, B. C. (1818). Pathologic and Surgical Observations on Diseases and Joints. (London: Longman).

    Google Scholar 

  3. Paronen, I. (1948). Reiter’s disease: a study of 344 cases observed in Finland. Acta Med. Scand. 212(suppl.), 1–114.

    Google Scholar 

  4. Calin, A. (1985). Reiter’s syndrome. In Kelley, W. N., Harris, E. D., Ruddy, S. and Sledge, C. B. (eds). Textbook of Rheumatology, 2nd edn., p. 1007. (Philadelphia: W. B. Saunders).

    Google Scholar 

  5. Keat, A. (1983). Reiter’s syndrome and reactive arthritis perspective. N. Engl. J. Med., 309, 1606–1615.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  6. Davies, N. E., Haverty, J. R. and Boatwright, M. (1969). Reiter’s disease associated with shigellosis. South. Med. J., 62, 1011–1014.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  7. Berglöf, F. E. (1963). Arthritis and intestinal infection. Acta Rheum. Scand., 9, 141–149.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  8. Sairanen, E. and Tiilikainen, A. (1974). HLA-27 in Reiter’s disease following shigellosis. Scand. J. Rheumatol. 8(suppl.) abstract no. 30-11.

    Google Scholar 

  9. Singsen, B. H., Bernstein, B. H., Koster-King, K. G., Glovsky, M. M. and Hanson, V. (1977). Reiter’s syndrome in childhood. Arthritis Rheum., 20, 402–407.

    PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  10. Good, A. E. and Schultz, J. S. (1977). Reiter’s syndrome following Shigella flexneri 2a: a sequel to traveler’s diarrhea: report of a case with hepatitis. Arthritis Rheum., 20, 100–104.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  11. Calin, A. and Fries, J. F. (1976). An “experimental” epidemic of Reiter’s syndrome revisited: follow-up evidence on genetic and environmental factors. Ann. Intern. Med., 84, 564–565.

    PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  12. Young, R. H. and McEwen, E. G. (1947). Bacillary dysentery as the cause of Reiter’s syndrome (arthritis with nonspecific unrethritis and conjunctivitis). J. Am. Med. Assoc, 134, 1456–1459.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  13. Aho, K., Ahvonen, P., Alkio, P. et al (1975). HL-A27 and reactive arthritis following infection. Ann. Rheum. Dis., 34(suppl.), 29–30.

    Google Scholar 

  14. Vartiainen, J. and Hurri, L. (1964). Arthritis due to Salmonella typhimurium: report of 12 cases of migratory arthritis in association with Salmonella typhimurium infection. Acta Med. Scand., 175, 771–776.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  15. Warren, C. P. W. (1970). Arthritis associated with Salmonella infections. Ann. Rheum. Dis., 29, 483–487.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  16. Fries, J. and Svejgaard, A. (1974). Salmonella arthritis and HL-A27. Lancet, 1, 1350.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  17. Hakansson, U., Löw, B., Eitram, R. and Winblad, S. (1975). HL-A27 and reactive arthritis in an outbreak of salmonellosis. Tissue Antigens, 6, 366–367.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  18. Jones, R. A. K. (1977). Reiter’s disease after Salmonella typhimurium enteritis. Br. Med. J., 1, 1391.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  19. Jones, M. B., Smith, P. W. and Olhnausen, R. W. (1979). Reiter’s syndrome after salmonella infection: occurrence in HLA-B27 positive brothers. Arthritis Rheum., 22, 1141–1142.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  20. Lemaire, V. and Ryckewaert, A. (1978). Rheumatisme post-salmonellien: un cas. Nouv. Presse Med., 7, 2239–2240.

    PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  21. Stein, H. B., Abdullah, A., Robinson, H. S. and Ford, D. K. (1980). Salmonella reactive arthritis in British Columbia. Arthritis Rheum., 23, 206–210.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  22. Winblad, S. (1975). Arthritis associated with Yersinia enterocolitica infections. Scand. J. Infect. Dis., 3: 83–85.

    Google Scholar 

  23. Aho, K., Ahvonen, P., Lassus, A., Sievers, K. and Tiilikainen, A. (1974). HL-A27 in reactive arthritis: a study of yersinia arthritis and Reiter’s disease. Arthritis Rheum., 17, 521–526.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  24. Laitinen, O., Leirisalo, M. and Skylv, G. (1977). Relation between HLA-B27 and clinical features in patients with yersinia arthritis. Arthritis Rheum., 20, 1121–1124.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  25. Leirisalo, M., Skylv, G., Kousa, M. et al. (1982). Followup study on patients with Reiter’s disease and reactive arthritis with special reference to HLA-B27. Arthritis Rheum., 25, 249–259.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  26. Marsal, L., Winblad, S. and Wollheim, F. A. (1981). Yersinia enterocolitica arthritis in southern Sweden: a four-year follow-up study. Br. Med. J., 283, 101–103.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  27. Laitinen, O., Tuuhea, J. and Ahvonen, P. (1972). Polyarthritis associated with Yersinia enterocolitica infection: clinical features and laboratory findings in nine cases with severe joint symptoms. Ann. Rheum. Dis., 31, 34–39.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  28. Caroit, M. (1976). Les manifestations articulaires des infections a Yersinia enterocolitica. Rev. Rheum. Mai Osteoartica., 43, 583–588.

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  29. Jacobs, J. C. (1975). Yersinia enterocolitica arthritis. Pediatrics, 55, 236–238.

    PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  30. Ahvonen, P. (1972). Human Yersiniosis in Finland. II. Clinical features. Ann. Clin. Res., 4, 39–48.

    PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  31. Weir, W., Keat, A. C., Welsby, P. D. and Brear, G. (1979). Reactive arthritis associated with Campylobacter infection of the bowel. J. Infect., 1, 281–284.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  32. Gumpel, J. M., Martin, C. and Sanderson, P. J. (1981). Reactive arthritis associated with campylobacter enteritis. Ann. Rheum. Dis., 40, 64–65.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  33. Van de Putte, L. B. A., Berden, J. H. M., Boerbooms, A. M. T. et al. (1980). Reactive arthritis after Campylobacter jejuni enteritis. J. Rheumatol., 7, 531–535.

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  34. Kosunen, T. U., Kauranen, O., Martio, J. et al. (1980). Reactive arthritis after Campylobacter jejuni enteritis in patients with HLA-B27. Lancet, 1, 1312–1313.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  35. Leung, G. Y.-K., Littlejohn, G. O. and Bombardier, C. (1980). Reiter’s syndrome after Camplylobacter jejuni enteritis. Arthritis Rheum., 23, 948–950.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  36. Pönkä, A., Martio, J. and Kosunen, T. U. (1981). Reiter’s syndrome in association with enteritis due to Campylobacter fetus ssp. jejuni. Ann. Rheum. Dis., 40, 414–415.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  37. Wright, V. (1963). Arthritis associated with venereal disease: a comparative study of gonococcal arthritis and Reiter’s syndrome. Ann. Rheum. Dis., 2, 77–89.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  38. Csonka, G. W. (1958). The course of Reiter’s syndrome. Br. Med. J., 1, 1088–1090.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  39. Keat, A. C., Maini, R. N., Pegrum, G. D. and Scott, J. T. (1979). The clinical features and HLA associations of reactive arthritis associated with non-gonococcal urethritis. Q. J. Med., 48, 323–342.

    PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  40. Brewerton, D. A., Caffrey, M., Nicholls, A., Walters, D., Oates, J. K. and James, D. C. O. (1973). Reiter’s disease and HLA-A27. Lancet, 2, 996–998.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  41. Morris, R., Metzger, A. L., Bluestone, R. and Terasaki, P. I. (1974). HL-AW27 — a clue to the diagnosis and pathogenesis of Reiter’s syndrome. N. Engl. J. Med., 290, 554–556.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  42. Oates, J. K. and Young, A. C. (1959). Sacroiliitis in Reiter’s disease. Br. Med. J., 1, 1013–1015.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  43. Laird, S. M. (1958). Figures and fancies. Br. J. Vener. Dis., 34, 137–152.

    PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  44. Hawkes, J. G. (1973). Clinical and diagnostic features of Reiter’s disease: a follow-up study of 39 patients. N.Z. Med. J., 78, 347–353.

    PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  45. Csonka, G. W. (1979). Clinical aspects of Reiter’s syndrome. Ann. Rheum. Dis., 38,(suppl.), 4–7.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  46. Kousa, M. J. (1978). Clinical observations on Reiter’s disease with special reference to the venereal and non-venereal aetiology. Acta Dermatol. Venereol. (Stockh.), 58(suppl.), 81.

    Google Scholar 

  47. Wilkins, R. F., Arnett, F. C., Bitter, T. et al. (1981). Reiter’s syndrome: Evaluation of preliminary criteria for definitive disease. Arthritis Rheum., 24, 844–849.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  48. Weyand, C. M. and Goronzy, J. J. (1989). Immune responses to borrelia burgdorferi in patients with reactive arthritis. Arthritis Rheum., 32, 1057–1064.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  49. Keat, A., Dixie, J., Sonex, C., Thomas, B., Osborne, M. and Taylor-Robinson, D. (1987). Chlamydia trachomatis and reactive arthritis: the missing link. Lancet, 1, 72–74.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  50. Lerisalo, M., Skylv, G. and Kousa, M. (1985). Follow up study on patients with Reiter’s disease and reactive arthritis with special reference to HLA B27. Arthritis Rheum., 20, 249–259.

    Google Scholar 

  51. Fox, R., Calin, A., Gerber, R. C. and Gibson, D. (1979). The chronicity of symptoms and disability in Reiter’s syndrome: an analysis of 131 consecutive patients. Ann. Int. Med., 91, 190–193.

    PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  52. Good, A. E. (1974). Reiter’s disease: a review with special attention to cardiovascular and neurological sequelae. Semin. Arthritis Rheum., 3, 253–286.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  53. Van Bohemen, C. G., Grumet, F. C. and Zanin, H. C. (1984). Identification of HLA-B27 Ml and M2 cross reactive antigens in Klebsiella, Shigella, and Yersinia. Immunology, 52, 607–610.

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  54. Schwimmbeck, T., Yu, D. T. Y. and Oldstone, M. B. A. (1987). Auto-antibodies to HLA B27 in the sera of HLA B27 patients with ankylosing spondylitis and Reiter’s syndrome: molecular mimicry with Klebsiella pneumoniae as potential mechanism of autoimmune disease. J. Exp. Med., 66, 173–181.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  55. Stieglitz, H., Fosmire, F. and Lipskie, T. (1989). Identification of a 2-Md plasmid from Shigella Flexneri associated with reactive arthritis. Arthritis Rheum., 32, 937–946.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  56. Ford, D. K., da Roza, D. M. and Shulzer, M. (1982). The specificity of synovial mononuclear cell responses to microbiological antigens in Reiter’s syndrome. J. Rheumatol., 9, 561–567.

    PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  57. Darmarwan, J. (1988). Rheumatic conditions in the northern port of Central Java. An epidemiological survey, p. 165. (Indonesia, Kenrose).

    Google Scholar 

  58. Taylor-Robinson, D. and Thomas, B. J. (1980). The role of Chlamydia trachomatis in genital tract and associated diseases. J. Clin. Pathol., 33, 205–233.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  59. Keat, A. D., Thomas, B. J., Taylor-Robinson, D., Pegrum, G., Maini, R. S. and Scott, J. T. (1980). Evidence of Chlamydia trachomatis infection in sexually acquired reactive arthritis. Ann. Rheum. Dis., 39, 431–437.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  60. Amor, B. (1983). Chlamydia and Reiter’s syndrome. Br. J. Rheumatol., 22(suppl. 2), 156–160.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  61. Popert, A. J., Gill, A. J. and Laird, S. F. (1964). A prospective study of Reiter’s syndrome: an interim report on the first 82 cases. Br. J. Vener. Dis., 40, 160–165.

    PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  62. Ford, D. K. (1967). Relationships between mycoplasma and the etiology of nongonococcal urethitis and Reiter’s syndrome. Ann. N.Y. Acad. Sci., 143, 501–504.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  63. Ford, D. K. (1968). Non-gonococcal urethritis and Reiter’s syndrome: personal experience with etiological studies during 15 years. Can. Med. Assoc. J., 99, 900–910.

    PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  64. Taylor-Robinson, D., Csonka, G. W. and Prentice, M. J. (1977). Human intraurethral inoculation of ureaplasmas. Q. J. Med., 46, 309–326.

    PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  65. Taylor-Robinson, D. and McCormack, W. M. (1980). The genital mycoplasmas. N. Engl. J. Med., 302, 1003–1010, 1063-1067.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  66. Neuwelt, C. M., Borenstein, D. G. and Jacobs, R. P. (1982). Reiter’s syndrome, a male and female disease. J. Rheumatol., 9, 268–272.

    PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  67. Sairanen, E., Paronen, I. and Mahonen, A. (1969). Reiter’s syndrome: a follow up study. Acta Med. Scand., 18, 57–63.

    Google Scholar 

  68. Csonka, G. W. (1960). Recurrent attacks in Reiter’s disease Arthritis Rheum., 4, 164–169.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  69. Winchester, R., Bernstein, D. A., Fischer, H., Enlow, R. and Solomon, G., (1987). The co-occurrence of Reiter’s syndrome and acquired immuno-deficiency. Ann. Intern. Med., 106, 19–26.

    PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  70. Noer, H. R. (1966). An experimental epidemic of Reiter’s syndrome. J. Am. Med. Soc, 198, 693–698.

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  71. Hollander, J. L. (1946). The diagnosis and treatment of Reiter’s syndrome. Med. Clin. N. Am., 716-723.

    Google Scholar 

  72. Rosenberg, A. S. and Petty, R. E. (1979). Reiter’s disease in children. Am. J. Dis. Child., 133, 394–398.

    PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  73. Rosenberg, A. S. and Petty, R. E. (1982). Syndrome of seronegative enthisopathy and arthropathy in children. Arthritis Rheum., 25, 1041–1047.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  74. Singsen, B. A., Bernstein, B. A., Kostar-King, K. G., Glovsky, M. M. and Hansen, V. (1977). Reiter’s syndrome in childhood. Arthritis Rheum. 20,(suppl.), 404–407.

    Google Scholar 

  75. Sheerin, K. A., Giannini, E. A., Brewer, E. J. and Barron, K. S. (1988). HLA B27 associated arthropathy in childhood: long term clinical and diagnostic outcome. Arthritis Rheum., 31, 1165–1170.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  76. Petty, R. E. (1987). Current knowledge of the etiology and pathogenesis of chronic uveitis accompanying juvenile rheumatoid arthritis. Rheum. Dis. Clin. N. Am., 13, 19–36.

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  77. Rynes, R. I., Goldenberg, D. L., Digiacomo, R., Olson, R., Hussain, M. and Veazey, J. (1988). Acquired immunodeficiency syndrome — associated arthritis. Am. J. Med., 84, 810–816.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  78. Berman, A., Espinoza, L. R., Diaz, J. D., Aguilar, J. L., Rolando, T., Vasey, F., Germain, B. F. and Lockey, R. F. (1988). Rheumatic manifestation of human immunodeficiency virus infection. Am. J. Med., 85, 59–64.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  79. Forster, S. M., Seifert, M. H., Keat, A. C., Rowe, I. F., Thomas, B. J., Taylor-Robinson, D., Pinching, A. J. and Harris, J. R. W. (1988). Inflammatory joint disease and human immunodeficiency virus infection. Br. Med. J., 296, 1625–1627.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  80. Davis, P., Stein, M., Latif, A. and Emmanuel, J. (1988). HIV and polyarthritis. Lancet, 1, 936

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

Download references

Authors
  1. W. F. Kean
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  2. D. W. MacPherson
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Editor information

Editors and Affiliations

  1. University of Western Ontario, London, Ontario, Canada

    Nicholas Bellamy MD, MSc, FRCP(Glas), FRCP(Edin), FRCP(C), FACP (Associate Professor of Medicine, Epidemiology and Biostatistics, Director) (Associate Professor of Medicine, Epidemiology and Biostatistics, Director)

  2. Division of Rheumatology, Victoria Hospital, London, Ontario, Canada

    Nicholas Bellamy MD, MSc, FRCP(Glas), FRCP(Edin), FRCP(C), FACP (Associate Professor of Medicine, Epidemiology and Biostatistics, Director) (Associate Professor of Medicine, Epidemiology and Biostatistics, Director)

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

Copyright information

© 1991 Springer Science+Business Media Dordrecht

About this chapter

Cite this chapter

Kean, W.F., MacPherson, D.W. (1991). Reiter’s syndrome. In: Bellamy, N. (eds) Prognosis in the Rheumatic Diseases. Springer, Dordrecht. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-94-011-3896-3_8

Download citation

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-94-011-3896-3_8

  • Publisher Name: Springer, Dordrecht

  • Print ISBN: 978-94-010-5735-6

  • Online ISBN: 978-94-011-3896-3

  • eBook Packages: Springer Book Archive

Publish with us

Policies and ethics

Search

Navigation