Viral infection as a cause of arthritis

Rheumatic complaints secondary to viral infections are usually brief, self-limited and nondestructive. They may accompany almost any type of viral illness, and the arthritic presentation is nonspecific. These manifestations are protean, ranging from arthralgia to vasculitis. Often the cause of the r...

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Bibliographic Details
Published inAmerican family physician Vol. 54; no. 6; p. 2009
Main Authors Siegel, L B, Gall, E P
Format Journal Article
LanguageEnglish
Published United States 01.11.1996
Subjects
Arthritis, Infectious - microbiology
Erythema Infectiosum - complications
Erythema Infectiosum - diagnosis
Hepatitis B - complications
Hepatitis B - diagnosis
Hepatitis C - complications
Hepatitis C - diagnosis
Humans
Rubella - complications
Rubella - diagnosis
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Summary:Rheumatic complaints secondary to viral infections are usually brief, self-limited and nondestructive. They may accompany almost any type of viral illness, and the arthritic presentation is nonspecific. These manifestations are protean, ranging from arthralgia to vasculitis. Often the cause of the rheumatic complaint remains elusive because of the prompt resolution of the viral infection. Evaluation for autoimmune diseases should be postponed until the symptoms have been present for at least six weeks. However, some viral diseases, such as parvovirus, chronic hepatitis B virus and hepatitis C virus infections, can produce long-lasting rheumatic symptoms. Since the arthritis associated with hepatitis C infection has only recently been recognized, it is important to search for this association in patients who have atypical rheumatic complaints, risk factors for hepatitis and alterations in liver enzymes, so that an accurate diagnosis can be established and the pathophysiology can be better understood.
ISSN:0002-838X