Arthropod-borne arthritides

Abstract

Infections with several types of viral and bacterial pathogens are able to cause arthritic disease. Arthropod vectors such as ticks and mosquitoes transmit a number of these arthritis-causing pathogens, and as these vectors increase their global distribution, so too do the diseases they spread. The typical clinical manifestations of infectious arthritis are often similar in presentation to rheumatoid arthritis. Hence, care needs to be taken in the diagnoses and management of these conditions. Additionally, clinical reports suggest that prolonged arthropathies may result from infection, highlighting the need for careful clinical management and further research into underlying disease mechanisms.