Abstract

OBJECTIVE--To investigate the aetiology of acute epididymitis in a developing community with a view of determining appropriate antimicrobial therapy. SETTING--City Health Sexually Transmitted Diseases Clinic, King Edward VIII Hospital, Durban, South Africa. PARTICIPANTS--144 adult men with clinically diagnosed acute epididymitis. METHOD--Endourethral swab and midstream urine (MSU) specimens were processed to detect sexually transmitted pathogens and urinary tract infections. RESULTS--The majority of patients (93%) were less than 35 years of age. Neisseria gonorrhoeae and/or Chlamydia trachomatis were detected in 78% of patients: N gonorrhoeae in 57%, C trachomatis in 34% and both in 13%. Escherichia coli was cultured more frequently from MSU specimens of older patients, 30% versus 3%. In 53% of patients urethritis was diagnosed by the presence of inflammatory cells in endourethral smears in the absence of a visible urethral discharge. CONCLUSION--In our setting of a busy clinic with limited facilities, we recommend the performance of a Gram stain on endourethral specimens from patients with acute epididymitis. If inflammatory cells and Gram negative diplococci are detected, treatment with antimicrobial agents to cover both penicillinase-producing N gonorrhoeae strains and C trachomatis is recommended. If Gram negative diplococci are not detected in the presence of microscopic evidence of urethritis, treatment for chlamydial infection alone is recommended.