Chlamydia trachomatis, Ureaplasma urealyticum, and Mycoplasma hominis in sexually intact girls with arthritides.

Objectives: To investigate the frequency of Chlamydia trachomatis, Ureaplasma urealyticum, and Mycoplasma hominis in the genital tract of sexually intact girls with arthritides, and to search for optimal means of their elucidation.

Method: Sixty girls with rheumatic arthritides and 61 girls who had applied to a children's gynaecologist because of genital complaints (control group), aged 2-16 years, were examined. First-catch urine and swabs were taken from the vaginal arc and the surface of the external orifice of the urethra.

Recurrent tonsillitis and tonsillectomy in juvenile idiopathic arthritis.

Objectives: To compare the clinical and bacteriological features of recurrent tonsillitis between patients with and without juvenile idiopathic arthritis (JIA).

Methods: A total of 122 participants, aged 2-18 years, were consecutively recruited into four groups: (i) JIA and recurrent tonsillitis; (ii) JIA; (iii) recurrent tonsillitis; and (iv) healthy. All the patients with recurrent tonsillitis underwent tonsillectomy.

New insights into bacterial persistence in reactive arthritis.

Persistence of arthritis-triggering bacteria can cause chronization of reactive arthritis (ReA). In the evaluation of bacterial persistence in ReA, the persistence of both the triggering bacteria and also of the other bacteria residing in the foci of chronic infection, are important. Two forms of bacterial persistence, cell wall-deficient bacteria (L-forms) and bacterial biofilms, are characterized, and the possible links between these forms and ReA are revealed.

Efficacy of empirically prescribed amoxicillin and amoxicillin + clavulanic acid in children's reactive arthritis: a randomised trial.

Objective: To evaluate the efficacy of early empiric prescription of amoxicillin and amoxicillin + clavulanic acid in children with reactive arthritis (ReA) when the arthritis-triggering microorganism is not identified.

Methods: 138 children, ranging in age from 2 to 16 years, with ReA of up to 3 months duration were randomly assigned to 3 groups and either prescribed antibacterial treatment with amoxicillin or amoxicillin + clavulanic acid (amoxicillin-potassium clavulanate combination) or were not given antibiotics (control group). Patients in all 3 groups were prescribed the usual treatment with nonsteroidal antiinflammatory drugs.