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Infectious arthritis is joint pain, soreness, stiffness and swelling caused by a bacterial, viral, or fungal infection that spreads from another part of the body. Depending on the type of infection, one or more joints may be affected.[5131] Certain bacteria can cause a form of infectious arthritis called reactive arthritis, which appears to be caused by the immune system reacting to bacteria, rather than by the infection itself.[5131][5132] In reactive arthritis, joint inflammation develops weeks, months or even years after the infection. Reactive arthritis happens most commonly after infections of the genital and gastrointestinal tracts.[5132] To diagnose infectious arthritis, your health care provider may do tests of your blood, urine, and joint fluid. Treatment includes medicines and sometimes surgery.[5131]
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