Gonococcal arthritis

Alternative names

Disseminated gonococcal infection (DGI)

Definition

Gonococcal arthritis is an infection, usually of a single joint (in 90% to 95% of cases) that occurs with gonorrhea.

Causes, incidence, and risk factors

This infection occurs in people who have been infected with gonorrhea. It affects women more frequently than men (4:1) and its highest incidence is among sexually active adolescent girls. There is also increased risk during menstruation and pregnancy.

Two forms of arthritis exist - one with skin rashes and multiple joint involvement, and a second, less common, form in which disseminated gonococcemia leads to infection of a single joint (monoarticular) and joint fluid cultures are positive.

Single joint arthritis follows generalized spread (dissemination) of the gonococcal infection. Dissemination is associated with symptoms of fever, chills, multiple joint aches (arthralgia), and rashes (1-mm to 2-cm red macules). This episode may end as a single joint becomes infected. The most commonly involved joints are the large joints such as the knee, wrist, and ankle.

Symptoms

• Migrating joint pain for 1 to 4 days (polyarthralgia)
  
• Pain in the hands/wrists due to tendon inflammation (tenosynovitis)
  
• Single joint pain
  
• Fever
  
• Skin rash (lesions are flat, pink to red, may become pustular or purpuric)
  
• Pain or burning on urination
  
• Lower abdominal pain
  

Signs and tests

• Positive cervical Gram stain (positive for gonococci)
  
• Urethral culture for gonorrhea in men
  
• Cervical culture for gonorrhea in women
  
• Rectal culture for gonorrhea in men and women
  
• Throat culture for gonorrhea
  
• Joint fluid Gram stain
  
• Synovial fluid culture for gonorrhea (culture of joint aspirate)
  
• Blood cultures should be checked in all cases of possible gonococcal arthritis
  

Treatment

There are two aspects of treating a sexually transmitted disease, especially one as easily spread as gonorrhea. The first aspect is to cure the infected person. The second is to locate, test and treat all sexual contacts of the infected person to prevent further spread of the disease. Mandatory reporting has been instituted and has, until recently, has held the number of cases of gonorrhea at a low level. However, the incidence of gonorrhea is once again rising.