CHRONIC STREPTOCOCCUS ARTHRITIS

Abstract

The relation of streptococci to arthritis is a very broad one. The highly acute purulent inflammation of joints which may be simply part of a general streptococcus pyemia or septicemia is well known and fairly well understood. It occurs in connection with severe streptococcus infections, such as puerperal fever, infected wounds, erysipelas and common infectious diseases. Of the latter I shall mention especially septic sore throat as it has been observed by Capps and others in connection with milk-borne epidemics. In all of these there is a tendency, at times not very marked, but at other times striking indeed, for the streptococci to produce arthritis. The tendency on the part of streptococci to localize in joints of experimental animals seems to concern the several varieties, though to an unequal extent. The common hemolytic streptococci and the Streptococcus mucosus readily attack joint cavities; the Streptococcus viridans , on the other hand, rarely