Infectious Arthritis.
Last updated Wednesday, December 22, 2004
SymptomsWhat parts of the body does infectious arthritis affect? Infectious arthritis may occur without any other infection present.
However, it is usually the result of a previous infection. That is, a
germ first causes an infection elsewhere in the body, then spreads to
one or more joints to produce infectious arthritis.
A germ can enter through almost any place in a person's body. The
most common places of entry are a person's skin, throat, ears, or nose.
Once inside the body, the germs can get into the blood stream. From
there they can travel to the person's joints (or any place that is
suitable for them to live). Sometimes, a bacterium, virus, or fungus
can enter a person's joint directly through a wound.
Most often, only one joint is affected. Sometimes, two or three
joints become involved. The large joints are most often infected,
especially the shoulders, hips, and knees, although other joints can
also become involved.
Sometimes a condition called erythema nodosum can occur along with
an infection. Although it is most often associated with tuberculosis
and infections by certain fungi, it is not due directly to these
infectious germs. What are symptoms of infectious arthritis? The most noticeable symptom of erythema nodosum is red, tender bumps
about the size of a quarter--in the skin of the lower legs, and
sometimes on other parts of the body. Other symptoms that may appear
include inflammation of the ankle (and sometimes other joints) and
fever.
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