Gonococcal arthritis

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Chondromalacia of the patella

Gonoccocal arthritis

Disseminated gonococcal infection (DGI)

• Migrating joint pain for 1 to 4 days (polyarthralgia)
• Pain in the hands/wrists due to tendon inflammation (tenosynovitis)
• Single joint pain
• Fever
• Skin rash (lesions are flat, pink to red, may become pustular or purpuric)
• Pain or burning on urination
• Lower abdominal pain

• Positive cervical gram stain (positive for gonococci)
• Urethral culture for gonorrhea in men
• Cervical culture for gonorrhea in women
• Rectal culture for gonorrhea in men and women
• Throat culture for gonorrhea
• Joint fluid gram stain
• Synovial fluid culture for gonorrhea (culture of joint aspirate)
• Blood cultures should be checked in all cases of possible gonococcal arthritis

Review Date: 02/10/2006
Reviewed By: Kenneth Wener, M.D., Division of Infectious Diseases, Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center, Boston, MA. Review provided by VeriMed Healthcare Network.