[Reactive arthritis: inflammation or true infection?]

Reactive arthritis has been classically defined as an aseptic arthritis induced by a bacterial infection in another organ. If the classical form of reactive arthritis is in fact a spondyloarthritis triggered by a urogenital or intestinal bacterial infection, it is not necessarily sterile, and in some cases it may be worthwhile to treat a chronic infection with long-term antibiotherapy. In a broader definition, the concept of reactive arthritis is widened to other post-infectious rheumatism, such as post-streptococcal arthritis or post-viral arthritis.