[Update: enterogenic spondylarthritis]

Spondylarthritis (SpA) is one of the most frequent extraintestinal manifestations of chronic inflammatory bowel disease (IBD). Several arthritogenic enterobacterial infections can induce sequelae such as reactive SpA. Studies on the gut-synovium axis in view of genetic, immunological, clinical and therapeutic aspects has made enterogenic SpA a model disease of all forms of SpA. The same applies for investigating IBD, as subclinical gut inflammation seen in SpA patients has provided significant evidence for a better understanding of mucosa-associated early immune events in Crohn's disease (CD). This article summarizes the pathognomonic clinical features, diagnostic steps, differential diagnosis and current pathogenetic models of enterogenic SpA. Knowledge of pathogenetic contexts leads to concrete treatment recommendations. These vary individually depending on the underlying IBD, on the inflammatory intestinal or rheumatic activity and on the rheumatological manifestation pattern.