Pathogen-specific Risk of Reactive Arthritis from Bacterial Causes of Foodborne Illness

Abstract

Objective.Reactive arthritis (ReA) is a sequelae of common bacterial infections of acute gastroenteritis. We assessed incidence of ReA following Campylobacter, Salmonella, Shigella, or Yersinia infection utilizing a US Department of Defense medical database.Methods.Subjects with acute gastroenteritis attributed to these pathogens were matched with ≥ 4 unexposed subjects. Medical history was analyzed for 6 months postinfection to assess for incident ReA.Results.A total of 1753 cases of gastroenteritis were identified. ReA incidence ranged from 0 to 4 per 100,000 person-years.Conclusion.These data are consistent with prior studies and highlight the need for continued primary prevention efforts.