title: A case of septic arthritis in multiple joints due to Bacteroides fragilis in a patient with rheumatoid arthritis.
abstract: A case of arthritis in multiple joints due to B. fragilis ssp. fragilis is described. The patient was a 55-year-old man badly disabled by rheumatoid arthritis. The patient's immune response to the isolated strain was studied and a significant titre reduction during the course of the disease was observed. The serum antibodies of the patient cross-reacted with heterologous strains of B. fragilis ssp. fragilis. It is suggested that indirect immunofluorescence tests against a certain number of B. fragilis strains could be performed with serum from a patient in whom an infection with B. fragilis is suspected.
mesh_terms: D000907:Antibodies, Bacterial / Q000032:analysis; D001170:Arthritis, Infectious / Q000150:complications* / Q000276:immunology; D001172:Arthritis, Rheumatoid / Q000150:complications* / Q000276:immunology; D001442:Bacteroides Infections / Q000150:complications*; D001441:Bacteroides fragilis; D003429:Cross Reactions; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged
chemical_list: D000907:Antibodies, Bacterial