Is it possible for an STD to cause rheumatoid arthritis?

I don't have it, but I was just curious.

Yes it is.


"Venereal arthritis is part of a group of conditions known as infectious arthritis, which is inflammation of the joint caused by a germ -- a bacterium, a virus, or a fungus. Some cases of infectious arthritis result from food poisoning via salmonella bacteria. Others are caused by viruses such as mumps or infectious hepatitis. Most cases -- including those involving gonococcal arthritis -- can be cured if they're treated promptly, but chlamydia-associated arthritis is less predictable.

Chlamydia -- whether it causes arthritis or not -- can be symptom-free or cause such mild symptoms that a person may not suspect anything is wrong. Men may have a slight discharge and pain during urination, especially in the morning. Women may also have a slight discharge, feel frequent urges to urinate, and experience some pelvic pain. Often, a woman doesn't know she has chlamydia until she has her annual gynecological exam, and then only if her physician tests for sexually transmitted diseases.

Because chlamydia is so elusive, researchers believe there may be a wide gulf between reported and actual cases. This gap may also account for imprecise figures on the number of chlamydia cases that turn into arthritis. In 5 to 20 percent of cases, the bacterium known as Chlamydia trachomatis, a tiny organism, migrates from the genitals (or throat, from oral sex contact) to one or more joints, usually in the lower limbs: the knees, ankles, or feet. In about half those cases, chlamydia remains in the joints. Sometimes it leads to a condition known as Reiter's Syndrome, which includes urinary tract problems and conjunctivitis.

The symptoms of chlamydia-associated arthritis also vary greatly. "Some people might just have an annoying pain in the knee, or just have one or two joints swollen, not dramatically so," explains Ralph Schumacher, chief of rheumatology at the VA Medical Center in Pennsylvania. Schumacher oversees a clinic on unexplained arthritis and is an expert on the chlamydia-associated variety. "Others can be very, very sick." Schumacher, who is Heller's doctor, adds that he has seen people go into remission for years. "I have a couple of patients who are up fishing in Canada right now, and they've had [the disease] for 30 years."

Some diseases that cause permanent damage if untreated. I think syphilis can cause this,but not sure.