Abstract
Aim: To determine the frequency and etiology of viral arthritis in West African patients at the National Hospital University Hubert Koutoukou Maga of Cotonou. Patients and Methods: It was a cross-sectional descriptive study carried out from January 2010 to July 2014 on patients received in rheumatology, hepato-gastroenterology, pediatric and internal medicine units. The selected patients had viral arthropathy. The diagnosis of viral arthritis was based on the presence of arthralgia or arthritis in the context of a viral infection. Patients with insufficiently explored records were excluded. Results: Among 4361 patients consulted, 49 (1.12%) had a viral arthropathy. The mean age of the patients was 49.13 ± 17.1 [15 - 68] years. The sex ratio was 0.58 (31 F/18 H). 38 patients were from Benin, 5 from Nigeria, 3 from Togo, 2 from Mali and 1 from Cote d’Ivoire. Joint symptoms were dominated by polyarthritis (n = 24 cases) and polyarthrlagias (n = 18 cases). Extra-articular signs present were dominated by fever (100%), skin signs (n = 37 cases), flu symptoms (n = 23 cases) and liver disorder (n = 19 cases). Viruses diagnosed were dominated by hepatitis B (n = 17), varicella-zona (n = 8) and HIV (n = 14). Conclusion: Viral arthropathy diagnosis is relatively common in West African patients especially with the HIV. This occurs as arthralgias or arthritis. The diagnosis is difficult in our working condition.
Highlights
Viral arthropathy diagnosis is relatively common in West African patients especially with the Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV)
While some viral agents involved in this context have a definite place, such as hepatitis B and C virus, rubella, Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV) and Human T cell leukemia/lymphoma virus type 1 (HTLV1), other like alpha viruses are most often ignored that the literature data are scattered [4]
The objective of this study is to determine the frequency and the etiologies of viral arthropathies in West African patients consulted in the National Hospital University Hubert Koutoukou Maga of Cotonou
Summary
It takes an important part in the etiology of arthritis [1]. The frequency of viral etiology is poorly understood because of the difficulty in diagnosis and the lack of publications in Africa. Joints’ signs during viral diseases are numerous. They are usually limited to a few weeks [5] [6]. The frequency of these signs is poorly known in developing countries mainly because of a lack of publications [7] and the likely confusion with early inflammatory joint disease [2].
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