rss
Sex Transm Infect 2004;80:289-293 doi:10.1136/sti.2003.006817
  • Urethritis

Symptomatic urethritis is more prevalent in men infected with Mycoplasma genitalium than with Chlamydia trachomatis

  1. L Falk1,
  2. H Fredlund2,
  3. J S Jensen3
  1. 1Department of Dermatology and Venereology, Örebro University Hospital, Sweden
  2. 2Department of Clinical Microbiology and Immunology, Örebro University Hospital, Sweden
  3. 3Mycoplasma Laboratory, Statens Serum Institut, Copenhagen, Denmark
  1. Correspondence to:
 Dr Lars Falk
 Department of Dermatology and Venereology, Örebro University Hospital, SE-701 85 Örebro, Sweden; lars.falkorebroll.se
  • Accepted 19 October 2003

Abstract

Objectives: To study the prevalence, symptoms, and signs of Mycoplasma genitalium and Chlamydia trachomatis infections in men attending a Swedish STD clinic and to study the criteria for urethritis.

Methods: A cross sectional study among STD clinic attendees in Örebro, Sweden. Attendees were examined for microscopic urethritis and first void urine (FVU) was tested for M genitalium and C trachomatis.

Results: The prevalence of M genitalium and C trachomatis was 7% (34/512) and 12% (61/512), respectively. Dual infection was diagnosed in four men. In both infections 90% of the patients had signs of microscopic urethritis. M genitalium positive men had symptomatic urethritis significantly more often than those infected with C trachomatis (73% v 40%, RR 1.8; 95% CI 1.2 to 2.7). 63% of female partners of men infected with M genitalium were infected with M genitalium compared with chlamydial infection in 67% of female partners of men infected with C trachomatis. Non-chlamydial non-gonococcal urethritis without evidence of M genitalium infection was diagnosed in 180 men (35%). Symptoms and/or visible discharge were reported in 49% in this group.

Conclusions:M genitalium is a common infection associated with symptomatic urethritis and with a high prevalence of infected sexual partners supporting its role as a sexually transmitted infection.

Footnotes

  • Funded by the Research Committee of Örebro County Council, Örebro Medical Centre Research Foundation. The research ethic committee of Örebro County Council approved the study 1 November 1999.

  • Conflict of interest: None declared.

This Article

  1. Abstract
  2. Full text
  3. PDF

Responses

  1. Submit a response
  2. No responses published

Register for free content

The full back archive is now available for all BMJ Journals. Institutional subscribers may access the entire archive as part of their subscription. Personal subscribers will also have access to all content when logged in. Non-subscribers who register have free access to all articles published before 2006 right back to volume 1 issue 1. Register here to access the free archive of all BMJ Journals.

Don't forget to sign up for content alerts so you keep up to date with all the articles as they are published.