Table 1

Clinical features of patients included in the study



Reverse transcription PCR using







Universal primers
Specific primers






Patient
Bacteria implicated
DNase
Non-DNase
Yer
Chlam
E. coli
Camp
Clinical details

A
Yersinia
6/20
2/20
+

+

Acute ReA (see [10]); positiveve serology (agglutination 1:2500) and T cell responses
B
Enteric
10/20
7/20


+

Acute ReA following gastroenteritis; organism unknown
C
Meningococci
Negative
2/20


+

Acute postinfective arthritis; sore throat, rash, positive serology; daughter had meningococcal purpura and arthritis
D
Streptococcus
17/20
5/20


+

Chronic erosive seronegative oligoarthritis; persistent positive serology – very high ASOT (>1200 U) and anti-Dnase
E
Chlamydia
5/20
5/20

+
+

Acute sexually acquired ReA; high T-cell mediated responses to CT
F
Yersinia (?)
7/20
6/20


+

Acute (?) ReA; positive serology, B27+ and T-cell responses; no enteritis
G
Unknown
12/20
1/20


+

Chronic seronegative oligoarthritis; culture positive Campylobacter infection 2 years pre-arthritis
H
Unknown
11/20
5/20


+

Chronic seronegative oligoarthritis
I
Yersinia
8/20
9/20


+

Acute ReA following gastroenteriitis; positive serology (IgM 1:640, IgG 1:2560, IgA <1:80) and T-cell responses
J
Chlamydia
7/20
3/20


+

Acute sexually acquired ReA; high T-cell mediated responses to CT
K
Campylobacter
19/20
20/20


+

Psoriatic arthritis complicated by culture positive enteritis and flare in joint symptoms (?ReA)
L
Campylobacter
19/20
16/20


+

Acute ReA following enteric infection
M
Campylobacter
Negative
Negative




Acute seronegative oligoarthritis and vasculitis; positiveve serology (IgM <1:80, IgG 1:640, IgA 1:160)
N
Campylobacter
Negative
Negative




Sero-negative oligoarthritis; positive serology (IgM 1:640, IgG 1:640, IgA 1:160) and T-cell responses

Universal (DNase and non-DNase) indicates the number of clones sequenced giving good quality sequence from PCR products obtained using universal primers R1 and R2 from each patient, with and without DNase treatment. Specific indicates results of subsequent Yersinia (Yer), Chlamydia (Chlam), Escherichia coli, and Campylobacter (Camp) specific PCR performed on the products obtained using universal primers. ASOT, antistreptolysin O titre; CT, Chlamydia trachomatis.

Cox et al. Arthritis Res Ther 2003 5:R1   doi:10.1186/ar602