title: [Clostridium difficile reactive arthritis in a 7-year-old child].
abstract: Clostridium difficile reactive arthritis is a rare disease; only 5 pediatric cases have been reported in the literature. Its diagnosis is challenging. It manifests as asymmetric aseptic poly- or oligoarthritis, contemporary to infectious colitis, usually after a period of antibiotic therapy. We report a new case in a 7-year-old boy who presented with unusual polyarthritis affecting 12 joints 1 month after antibiotic therapy with amoxicillin-clavulanate. Punctures of both hip joints proved sterile but significantly improved symptoms. Diarrheic stool cultures during hospitalization provided the diagnosis. Antibiotic therapy using metronidazole completely resolved pain and joint swelling within a week. After 1 year of follow-up, there has been no recurrence. We present a review of the literature on this disease and underline the advantages of joint aspiration in this condition with the dual aim of not missing septic arthritis and effectively relieving pain.
authors.affiliation: Pôle enfant, clinique de chirurgie et d'orthopédie de l'enfant, CHU de Lille, 59000 Lille, France.
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Dacheux
authors.forename: I
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Pruvost
authors.forename: B
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Herbaux
authors.forename: E
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Nectoux
mesh_terms: D016918:Arthritis, Reactive / Q000382:microbiology*; D002648:Child; D016360:Clostridioides difficile; D003015:Clostridium Infections; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male