Can rheumatoid arthritis present as infectious arthritis?

No: Infectious arthritis is an infection (usually bacterial) of a joint that creates redness and swelling. Acute rheumatoid arthritis can also cause redness and swelling, which can look like an infectious arthritis, but it is not an infection. With infectious arthritis, there is usually just one joint affected, whereas in rheumatoid arthritis, there usually are multiple joints involved.

No: Rheumatoid arthritis is not an infectious disease. It is more common for infectious arthritis to affect a single joint whereas rheumatoid arthritis usually affects multiple joints at the same time. Aspiration of joint fluid is often helpful in distinguishing between the two conditions when there is a doubt.