The prevalence of urethral and rectal Mycoplasma genitalium and its associations in men who have sex with men attending a genitourinary medicine clinic
- Suneeta Soni1,*,
- Sarah Alexander2,
- Neville Verlander2,
- Pamela Saunders2,
- Daniel Richardson1,
- Martin Fisher1,
- Catherine Ison2
- 1 Department of Genitourinary Medicine, Brighton and Sussex University Hospitals NHS Trust, United Kingdom;
- 2 Centre for Infections, Health Protection Agency, Colindale, United Kingdom
- Correspondence to: Suneeta Soni, Guy's and St. Thomas Foundations Hospitals Trust, Westminster Bridge Rd, London, SE17EH, United Kingdom; suneetasoni{at}gmail.com
- Received 11 June 2009
- Accepted 16 August 2009
- Published Online First 19 October 2009
Abstract
Objectives: To determine the prevalence of rectal and urethral Mycoplasma genitalium (MG) in men who have sex with men (MSM) attending a genitourinary medicine (GUM) clinic and to measure its associations with symptoms, clinical signs, sexual behaviour and concomitant sexually transmitted infections (STIs).
Methods: MSM attending for STI screening were tested for MG using a real-time PCR assay which targets the MgPa gene. Data were collected on demographics, sexual behaviour, past STI history and clinical symptoms and signs.
Results: 849 first void urine (FVU) and rectal specimens were collected from 438 MSM. The overall prevalence of MG in MSM was 6.6% with FVU positivity of 2.7% and rectal positivity of 4.4%. MG was significantly associated with HIV positivity (OR 7.6 95% CI 3.2-18.7, p<0.001) in contrast to C. trachomatis (CT) (OR 1.5 95% CI 0.5-4.1, p=0.4) and N. gonorrhoeae (GC) (OR 1.7 95% CI 0.7-3.8, p=0.194). Furthermore, MG was more prevalent than CT (p=0.15) and GC (p=0.02) in this sub-group of HIV-positive MSM. Urethral infection was associated with dysuria (p<0.001) but there was no association between rectal infection and anorectal symptoms or signs.
Conclusion: Rates of MG are much higher in HIV-positive MSM than HIV-negative MSM at both urethral and rectal sites and MG is more prevalent in HIV-positive MSM than other bacterial STIs. Although the subclinical nature of MG in the rectum questions its significance, the high prevalence seen at this site could be a potential source for onward urethral transmission. Future work should assess the need for appropriate screening and treatment of MG infection in MSM, particularly those with HIV infection and high risk sexual behaviour.
