Infectious Arthritis.
Last updated Wednesday, December 22, 2004
Diagnosis and evaluationDiagnosis To determine if a person has infectious arthritis, the doctor will
first ask about the person's symptoms and any other medical conditions.
The doctor will want to know about any recent travel, illness, or
contact with people who have had infections. Work or home conditions
might also give the doctor clues about the illness.
After the medical history the doctor will do a physical exam and
order special tests. X-rays may be taken to determine if there is joint
damage. Various laboratory tests can be done to find out if an infection is present.
It is most important to identify the specific germ causing the
infection. Bacteria and fungi can usually be identified from joint
fluid, blood, urine, or the infected area. The doctor will almost
always want to remove and examine fluid from the infected joint. If
tuberculosis or fungi are suspected, it will be necessary to remove a
tiny piece of tissue from the joint. This is called a biopsy. In the
laboratory, the fluid or tissue will be examined under the microscope
to determine what kind of bacteria or fungi are present.
A viral infection is usually diagnosed by a person's symptoms and
medical history. After the infection has been present for weeks or
longer, blood tests may show the presence and amount of a person's own
virus-fighting proteins (antibodies) in response to a viral infection.
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