Long-term post-Salmonella reactive arthritis due to Salmonella Blockley

We describe the case of a patient who became ill with Salmonella Blockley food poisoning while working in Cyprus in August 1994. As his diarrhoea resolved he began to suffer from lower limb joint pains which were diagnosed as acute salmonella reactive arthritis. His condition deteriorated, then improved somewhat over a period of 2 years, but he continued to suffer symptoms over 5 years after infection. This case predates other reported cases of S. Blockley infection in Cyprus by 4 years. S. Blockley is associated with chickens, and the chicken meal is the probable source of his infection. This case is of interest since it demonstrates the emergence of the serovar outside South East Asia where it is common, and shows that information on the incidence and duration of reactive arthritis caused by serovars other than S. Enteritidis and S. Typhimurium is limited.