What are the Symptoms of Reiter’s Syndrome or Reactive Arthritis?
The three most common symptoms of Reiter’s Syndrome are arthritis, conjunctivitis, and urethritis. The onset of symptoms typically occurs one to four weeks following the initial infection and may present acutely or develop slowly over time. It can occasionally occur years after the initial infection. In many patients the urethritis and conjunctivitis symptoms are usually mild, symmetric, and bilateral (Lee et al., 1986; Ostler et al., 1971). Bacterial cultures are negative and the inflammation typically resolves within 10 days without treatment. Urethritis, a urinary tract inflammation, is often accompanied by symptoms such as a penile discharge in males, pain with urination, or blood in the urine. Females may also present with an inflammation of the cervix or pain during intercourse. Urethritis in either males or females may also be present without symptoms but can show up on a urine test with your doctor (Barth & Segal, 1999). Ophthalmic, or eye, manifestations occur in approximately
