Yersinia-triggered reactive arthritis. Use of polymerase chain reaction and immunocytochemical staining in the detection of bacterial components from synovial specimens.

Objective: To investigate whether microbial DNA is present in synovial specimens from patients with Yersinia-triggered reactive arthritis.

Methods: Synovial specimens from 13 patients with Yersinia enterocolitica O:3-triggered reactive arthritis and from 16 control patients were studied using polymerase chain reaction and immunocytochemical staining techniques.

Results: Yersinia chromosomal DNA was not found in any of the synovial specimens from Yersinia-triggered arthritis patients or controls, whereas with immunocytochemical techniques, Yersinia antigens were observed in synovial specimens from all of the patients with Yersinia-triggered reactive arthritis.

Conclusions: Only stable bacterial degradation products, not whole bacteria, are present at the site of inflammation in Yersinia-triggered reactive arthritis.