Consequences of omitting a urethral smear in asymptomatic men attending a clinic for sexually transmitted infections
| Study | Diagnosis of C trachomatis delayed* | Diagnosis of M genitalium missed† | No pathogen present‡ | Urethritis on microscopy¶ but no pathogen present | Reference |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Values are percentages. N/A, data not contained in study report. | |||||
| *Positive microscopic result in men who tested positive for C trachomatis. | |||||
| †But not proven that this is of any clinical significance in asymptomatic men (see text). | |||||
| ‡Absence of both C trachomatis and M genitalium. | |||||
| ¶>4 polymorphonuclear leucocytes per high power field. | |||||
| Anagrius et al, 2005 | 2.9 | 2.9 | 94 | 39 | 4 |
| Falk et al, 2004 | 8.2 | 1.6 | 89 | 35 | 5 |
| Leung et al, 2006 | N/A | 1.8 | 83 | N/A | 8 |
| Marrazzo et al, 2001 | 3.4 | N/A | N/A | N/A | 9 |