Skip to main content

Advertisement

Log in

Relationship of Ureaplasma urealyticum Biovar 2 to Nongonococcal Urethritis

  • Article
  • Published:
European Journal of Clinical Microbiology and Infectious Diseases Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

The aim of this study was to determine the frequency of Ureaplasma urealyticum biovars 1 and 2 among 340 men with or without nongonococcal urethritis (NGU) attending a venereal disease clinic in Sweden. NGU was defined by the presence of at least four polymorphonuclear leukocytes per microscopic field (×1,000 magnification) on a smear in which Neisseria gonorrhoeae could not be detected. Ureaplasma urealyticum was detected by polymerase chain reaction, and biovar determination was performed directly on the amplicons by liquid hybridization with biovar-specific probes. Patients with NGU were younger, had had more sexual partners, and exhibited symptoms of urethritis more often than patients without NGU. Ureaplasma urealyticum was detected with the same frequency among patients with and among those without NGU. Among patients with NGU, Ureaplasma urealyticum-positive men were more frequently symptomatic than Ureaplasma urealyticum-negative men. Among patients without NGU, Ureaplasma urealyticum-positive men had had more sexual partners than Ureaplasma urealyticum-negative men. Ureaplasma urealyticum biovar 2 was detected more often among patients with NGU than among those without (P=0.012). Logistic regression analysis was performed using detection of biovar 2 as the response variable and the following four variables as explanatory variables: presence or absence of NGU, symptoms of urethritis, number of partners, and age ≤24 years. The only association found was that between Ureaplasma urealyticum biovar 2 and age ≤24 years. More studies should be conducted to determine the possible pathogenic impact of Ureaplasma urealyticum biovar 2.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Institutional subscriptions

Similar content being viewed by others

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

Authors

Additional information

Electronic Publication

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Cite this article

Povlsen, K., Bjørnelius, E., Lidbrink, P. et al. Relationship of Ureaplasma urealyticum Biovar 2 to Nongonococcal Urethritis. Eur J Clin Microbiol Infect Dis 21, 97–101 (2002). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10096-001-0665-1

Download citation

  • Published:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10096-001-0665-1

Navigation