DIFFERENT COURSE OF REACTIVE ARTHRITIS IN 2 HLA-B27 POSITIVE BROTHERSWITH FATAL OUTCOME IN ONE

During an outbreak of Yersinia pseudotuberculosis III, one of two HLA- B27 positive brothers developed reactive arthritis (ReA), mild at firs t, but later severely destructive and ultimately fatal. Tile reactivat ion of ReA was possibly triggered by an oral polio vaccine. The cause of death was severe secondary amyloidosis. The other brother was expos ed to the same Tu: pseudotuberculosis strain but did not develop any d isease during or after the outbreak. However, he later developed ReA d ue to a Salmonella infection, with a benign course.