Wes1212
02-01-2006, 11:01 AM
This is an abstract of a longer article. The full article should be required reading for doctors.
Viral infection as a cause of arthritis.
Siegel LB, Gall EP.
Finch University of Health Sciences/Chicago Medical School, Illinois, USA.
"Rheumatic complaints secondary to viral infections are usually brief, self-limited and nondestructive. They may accompany almost any type of viral illness, and the arthritic presentation is nonspecific. These manifestations are protean, ranging from arthralgia to vasculitis. Often the cause of the rheumatic complaint remains elusive because of the prompt resolution of the viral infection. Evaluation for autoimmune diseases should be postponed until the symptoms have been present for at least six weeks. However, some viral diseases, such as parvovirus, chronic hepatitis B virus and hepatitis C virus infections, can produce long-lasting rheumatic symptoms. Since the arthritis associated with hepatitis C infection has only recently been recognized, it is important to search for this association in patients who have atypical rheumatic complaints, risk factors for hepatitis and alterations in liver enzymes, so that an accurate diagnosis can be established and the pathophysiology can be better understood."
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?cmd=Retrieve&db=PubMed&list_uids=8900360&dopt=Citation
In a table, it lists different viruses with their rheumatic manifestations. It says that HCV can cause acute arthralgia and myalgia that rapidly progresses to arthritis. That joint pain is often disproportionate to the physical findings. That there are few inflammatory signs. That some evidence suggests that HCV might be a possible trigger to rheumatoid arthritis.
It even theorizes that there may be direct viral infection of the immune system, which alters the immune response. (but it was pointing mainly to the Epstein-Barr virus here)
This particular article covers viruses in general and some of those are eliminated rather quickly. When it talks about HCV in particular, it says that it can produce long-lasting rheumatic symptoms.
There are many many doctors out there who do not know about this. My gastroenterologist told me that HCV is asymptomatic. It seems that most doctors in this area believe the same way.
Viral infection as a cause of arthritis.
Siegel LB, Gall EP.
Finch University of Health Sciences/Chicago Medical School, Illinois, USA.
"Rheumatic complaints secondary to viral infections are usually brief, self-limited and nondestructive. They may accompany almost any type of viral illness, and the arthritic presentation is nonspecific. These manifestations are protean, ranging from arthralgia to vasculitis. Often the cause of the rheumatic complaint remains elusive because of the prompt resolution of the viral infection. Evaluation for autoimmune diseases should be postponed until the symptoms have been present for at least six weeks. However, some viral diseases, such as parvovirus, chronic hepatitis B virus and hepatitis C virus infections, can produce long-lasting rheumatic symptoms. Since the arthritis associated with hepatitis C infection has only recently been recognized, it is important to search for this association in patients who have atypical rheumatic complaints, risk factors for hepatitis and alterations in liver enzymes, so that an accurate diagnosis can be established and the pathophysiology can be better understood."
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?cmd=Retrieve&db=PubMed&list_uids=8900360&dopt=Citation
In a table, it lists different viruses with their rheumatic manifestations. It says that HCV can cause acute arthralgia and myalgia that rapidly progresses to arthritis. That joint pain is often disproportionate to the physical findings. That there are few inflammatory signs. That some evidence suggests that HCV might be a possible trigger to rheumatoid arthritis.
It even theorizes that there may be direct viral infection of the immune system, which alters the immune response. (but it was pointing mainly to the Epstein-Barr virus here)
This particular article covers viruses in general and some of those are eliminated rather quickly. When it talks about HCV in particular, it says that it can produce long-lasting rheumatic symptoms.
There are many many doctors out there who do not know about this. My gastroenterologist told me that HCV is asymptomatic. It seems that most doctors in this area believe the same way.