How does reactive arthritis occur?
It is not clear why ‘reactive’ symptoms develop in areas of the body that are not infected. When you have an infection your immune system makes antibodies and other chemicals to get rid of the infecting germ (bacteria, virus etc). The ‘battle’ between the immune system and infecting germs can create other chemicals and ‘debris’ such as fragments of dead germs. One theory is that some of this ‘debris’ may get into the bloodstream. It may then lodge in certain areas of the body such as the synovium of joints. This may trigger the inflammation in the joint. Infections that can trigger reactive arthritis include: • Infection of the urethra. This is also called urethritis. It is the most common trigger. About 1 in 100 people who have a infection of the urethra also develop reactive arthritis. The urethra is the tube that passes urine out from the bladder. Some sexually transmitted infections can cause urethritis. Infection with a sexually transmitted bacteria called chlamydia is the most co
