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Gonococcal arthritis - Overview

Alternative Names

Disseminated gonococcal infection (DGI)

Definition of Gonococcal arthritis:

Gonococcal arthritis is inflammation of a joint (usually just one) due to a gonorrhea infection.

Causes, incidence, and risk factors:

Gonococcal arthritis is a bacterial infection of a joint. It occurs in people who have gonorrhea. It affects women more often than it affects men, and is most common among sexually active adolescent girls.

Two forms of gonococcal arthritis exist:

One involves skin rashes and multiple joints, usually large joints such as the knee, wrist, and ankle
The second, less common form involves spread of the bacteria through the blood (disseminated gonococcemia), which leads to infection of a single joint

Gonoccocal arthritis

Reviewed last on: 5/30/2009
Linda Vorvick, MD, Family Physician, Seattle Site Coordinator, Lecturer, Pathophysiology, MEDEX Northwest Division of Physician Assistant Studies, University of Washington School of Medicine; Jatin M. Vyas, MD, PhD, Assistant Professor in Medicine, Harvard Medical School, Assistant in Medicine, Division of Infectious Disease, Department of Medicine, Massachusetts General Hospital. Also reviewed by David Zieve, MD, MHA, Medical Director, A.D.A.M., Inc.

References

Bamberger DM. Gonorrhea. In: Rakel P, Bope ET, eds. Conn's Current Therapy 2008. 60th ed. Philadelphia, Pa: Saunders Elsevier: 2008: chap 184.

Bauer HM, Wohlfeiler D, Klausner JD, et al. California Guidelines for Expedited Partner Therapy for Chlamydia trachomatis and Neisseria gonorrheae. Sexually Transmitted Diseases. 2008; 35(3):314-319.

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). Sexually Transmitted Disease Surveillance, 2007. Atlanta, GA: U.S. Department of Health and Human Services; December 2008. Accessed April 5, 2009.

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). Update to CDC's sexually transmitted diseases treatment guidelines, 2006: fluoroquinolones no longer recommended for treatment of gonococcal infections. MMWR. 2007;56(14):332-336. Accessed April 5, 2009.

U.S. Preventive Services Task Force. Screening for gonorrhea: recommendation statement. Ann Fam Physician. 2005;3(3):263-267. Accessed April 5, 2009.

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