[A descriptive clinical study of a type of arthritis in beekeepers of the Badajoz area of La Siberia Extremeña].
BACKGROUND
The appearance of episodes of arthritis has been detected in beekeepers in the Siberia Extremadura (Spain) related to working with the hives. This present work describes the clinical features of such arthritic syndrome.


METHODS
Sixty cases were selected at random from a previous epidemiological study to undergo a clinical protocol that included, anamnesis, physical signs, haematological, biochemical and immunological analyses, and radiological exploration of hands, wrists, feet, and pelvis.


RESULTS
The picture is characterized by episodes of oligoarthritis associated with bee-stings in the affected joints or nearby. The most frequent radiologic lesions are pinched articular lines, sclerosis, and the presence of geodes. Analytically, there was frequent eosinophilia, abnormalities in haemostasis tests, and a rise in serum alkaline phosphatase.


CONCLUSIONS
An acute inflammatory oligoarthritis of unknown cause has been described which affects the hands asymmetrically, and which is found in beekeepers in relation to their work with the hives. It occasionally involves into a chronic localized arthropathy capable of provoking ankylosis and permanent articular disability.
Peña
J
J
Departamento de Fisiología, Facultad de Medicina, Hospital Infanta Cristina, Universidad de Extremadura, Badajoz.
Salazar
J M
JM
Ortega
R
R
Alvarez
J L
JL
Campillo
J E
JE
Torres
M D
MD
D000208:Acute Disease; D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000382:Agricultural Workers' Diseases / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000209:etiology; D000822:Animal Husbandry; D000818:Animals; D001168:Arthritis / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000209:etiology; D001516:Bees; D002908:Chronic Disease; D003937:Diagnosis, Differential; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007299:Insect Bites and Stings / Q000150:complications; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011897:Random Allocation; D013030:Spain / Q000453:epidemiology
Estudio clínico descriptivo de un tipo de artritis en apicultores de la comarca pacense de la Siberia Extremeña.