The infection that causes infectious arthritis comes from a bacterial, viral or fungal infection that spreads from another part of the body.
Most kinds of arthritis cause pain and swelling in your joints. Joints are places where two bones meet, such as your elbow or knee. Infectious arthritis is an infection in the joint. Symptoms of infectious arthritis include:
- Intense pain in the joint
- Joint redness and swelling
- Chills and fever
- Inability to move the area with the infected joint
To diagnose infectious arthritis, your healthcare provider may do tests of your blood, urine and joint fluid. Treatment includes medicines and sometimes surgery.