Who is at risk for disseminated gonococcal infection (DGI)?
Unlike nongonococcal septic arthritis, the typical patient who develops gonococcal arthritis is a young, healthy person.
Women are more commonly affected than men, and are more prone to develop DGI around menstruation, pregnancy, and postpartum.
Other risk factors include urban residence, non-Caucasian race, low socioeconomic status, low educational status, prostitution, and previous gonococcal infection.
Septic arthritis due to DGI used to be the most common cause of septic arthritis in adults aged <30 years.
The incidence has declined to about 1% of all septic arthritis due to effective sexually transmitted infection control programs.
