Long-term sufferer of reactive arthritis here. Had a pretty nasty case of food poisoning four years ago, and to my surprise, was in widespread pain days later. I still deal with symptoms today, and will likely continue to do so for the rest of my life. Effectively, I developed a full-blown chronic rheumatic illness. I consider myself lucky: millions of people have chronic inflammatory diseases without apparent causes or correct diagnoses. The article doesn't mention that reactive arthritis has a genetic component, and closely resembles other inflammatory illnesses that are not apparently caused by acute infection.