Yersinia-triggered reactive arthritis. Use of polymerase chain reaction and immunocytochemical staining in the detection of bacterial components from synovial specimens.
OBJECTIVE
To investigate whether microbial DNA is present in synovial specimens from patients with Yersinia-triggered reactive arthritis.


METHODS
Synovial specimens from 13 patients with Yersinia enterocolitica O:3-triggered reactive arthritis and from 16 control patients were studied using polymerase chain reaction and immunocytochemical staining techniques.


RESULTS
Yersinia chromosomal DNA was not found in any of the synovial specimens from Yersinia-triggered arthritis patients or controls, whereas with immunocytochemical techniques, Yersinia antigens were observed in synovial specimens from all of the patients with Yersinia-triggered reactive arthritis.


CONCLUSIONS
Only stable bacterial degradation products, not whole bacteria, are present at the site of inflammation in Yersinia-triggered reactive arthritis.
Nikkari
S
S
Department of Medical Microbiology, Turku University, Finland.
Merilahti-Palo
R
R
Saario
R
R
Söderström
K O
KO
Granfors
K
K
Skurnik
M
M
Toivanen
P
P
D000328:Adult; D016918:Arthritis, Reactive / Q000382:microbiology*; D001483:Base Sequence; D004269:DNA, Bacterial / Q000032:analysis; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007150:Immunohistochemistry; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D008969:Molecular Sequence Data; D016133:Polymerase Chain Reaction; D013582:Synovial Fluid / Q000737:chemistry / Q000166:cytology / Q000382:microbiology*; D015009:Yersinia Infections; D015008:Yersinia enterocolitica / Q000235:genetics
D004269:DNA, Bacterial