Formerly known as Reiter syndrome, reactive arthritis (ReA) is joint inflammation that occurs after a bacterial infection originating outside the joints (i.e., “extra-articular”). These infections are either gastrointestinal (e.g., Salmonella, Campylobacter, Yersinia, Shigella, and sometimes E. coli) or urogenital (most commonly Chlamydia trachomatis, but also Neisseria gonorrhea and Mycoplasma). Acute ReA occurs several days or weeks after the antecedent infection. It is typically monoarticular (involving one joint) or oligoarticular (involving just a few joints, usually less than six). The lower extremities are most commonly involved, but it can also involve the arms and spine. Other names for ReA are post-infectious arthritis, post-dysenteric arthritis, and seronegative arthritis. When it lasts more than six months, it is called chronic reactive arthritis.
Reactive Arthritis Resources
We have worked with epidemiologists to bring education about Reactive Arthritis to everyone.
Outbreaks and recalls
July 12, 2023
Why E. coli Outbreaks happen not just in Beef
Although foods of bovine origin are the most common cause of both outbreaks and sporadic cases of E. coli O157:H7 infections, outbreaks of illnesses have been linked to a wide...
March 26, 2023
E. coli recall linked Elkhart Valley Packing
Elkhorn Valley Packing, a Harper, Kan. establishment, is recalling approximately 3,436 pounds of boneless beef chuck product that may be contaminated with Shiga toxin-producing E. coli (STEC) O103, the U.S...
February 26, 2023
Seattle Times: 30 years after the deadly E. coli outbreak, a Seattle attorney still fights for food safety
Bill Marler never expected to build a career out of bad food. But 30 years later, he’s still at it. From salmonella-tainted cantaloupe to listeria-laced lunchmeat, Marler Clark — which...
January 06, 2023
Bill Marler: Taking on E. coli, Big Ag, Raw Milk Conspiracy Theorists and the USDA
In yesterday’s post, I wrote about Bill Marler, the influential, outspoken, high-profile attorney who is representing Stephanie Smith in her $100 million lawsuit against Cargill. Smith, an ex-dance instructor from...
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Reactive Arthritis litigation at Marler Clark
The Marler Clark Reactive Arthritis attorneys are the only lawyers in the nation with a practice focused exclusively on plaintiff foodborne illness litigation.
Our expert Reactive Arthritis attorneys have represented victims of notable Reactive Arthritis outbreaks. Contact us today to learn more about our services.
See what our clients are saying
Marler Clark's food litigation attorneys have the most extensive experience representing victims of food poisoning outbreaks of any law firm in the United States.
Bill Marler and his team demonstrated a clear passion for their work and diligently ran to ground all of the details and nuances surrounding our family's case. The Marler Clark team managed our expectations extremely well, making sure that we were prepared at each step in the process and knew that there would be frustrating times along the way. On top of the impeccable professionalism, we formed friendships with Bill and Julie, and they introduced us to other clients who were going through similar experiences to our own, all of which was therapeutic and reminded us that we were not alone. And last but not least, we achieved success -- there is no substitute for subject matter expertise and years of experience! Thanks again Bill, Julie, and the entire Marler Clark team!
Bob & Emily S.
All of the people at Marler and Clark were very attentive to our needs and concerns. We would highly recommend their law firm for any legal advice regarding food safety. They are very transparent and will make contact with you in a timely fashion.
Amy G.
My wife and I can't thank Bill Marler and everyone at Marler Clark enough for how well they looked after us in our time of need. Bill visited us while our son was in the hospital and he, or his staff, were in contact with us every step of the way. Everyone at Marler Clark was caring and compassionate about our situation while working on our behalf. Even after our case was settled, Bill has checked in with us from time to time, wanting to know how our son was doing.