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Reiter's disease in three boys
Abstract:
Three cases of Reiter's disease occurring in boys under the age of 16 are reported. One of these presented with a Salmonella enteritidis diarrhoea. This conforms to the 'dysenteric' form of Reiter's disease usually seen in Europe and rarely reported in England. Another presented with a monarticular arthritis of the knee, and the third has developed a chronic relapsing erosive arthritis as a result of sexually acquired Reiter's disease--an occurrence not previously reported in this age group. We draw attention to the frequency of diarrhoea in these children and the sex incidence of 1 female to 4--5 males, which agrees more with Reiter's disease of dysenteric origin than that acquired venereally.
Insights
This study reports three cases of Reiter's disease in boys under 16, including a rare dysenteric form and a chronic erosive arthritis. Findings highlight diarrhea frequency and sex incidence in pediatric rheumatic diseases.
Area of Science:
- Pediatric Rheumatology
- Infectious Disease Epidemiology
Background:
- Reiter's disease, now known as reactive arthritis, is a form of spondyloarthritis.
- It typically affects young adults and is characterized by the triad of arthritis, urethritis, and conjunctivitis.
- While commonly associated with genitourinary or gastrointestinal infections, its presentation in pre-pubertal boys is less common.
Purpose of the Study:
- To report three distinct cases of Reiter's disease in prepubertal boys.
- To describe the varied clinical presentations, including dysenteric and sexually acquired forms, in this age group.
- To discuss the epidemiological features, such as diarrhea and sex incidence, in pediatric cases.
Main Methods:
- Case report analysis of three pediatric patients diagnosed with Reiter's disease.
- Clinical data review, including presenting symptoms, diagnostic findings, and treatment outcomes.
- Comparison of observed cases with existing literature on Reiter's disease epidemiology and clinical patterns.
Main Results:
- One case presented with Salmonella enteritidis-induced diarrhea, consistent with the dysenteric form of Reiter's disease.
- Another case exhibited monarticular arthritis of the knee.
- A third case developed chronic, relapsing, erosive arthritis from sexually acquired Reiter's disease, a novel presentation for this age group.
Conclusions:
- Reiter's disease can manifest in prepubertal boys with diverse clinical presentations.
- The dysenteric form and specific sex incidence (1 female to 4-5 males) in these cases align more with dysenteric origins than venereal transmission.
- Increased awareness of gastrointestinal prodromes and varied arthritic manifestations is crucial for diagnosing Reiter's disease in children.