aetiology
Last edited 09/2018
The majority of non gonococcal urethritis is a result of infection with
- Chlamydia Trachomatis – more likely to be seen in younger patients
- Mycoplasma genitalium – causes more symptoms (1)
Both organisms seldom coexist in the same individual. In around 30-80% of NGU patients neither C. trachomatis nor M. genitalium can be detected (1)
Other aetiological factors include:
- Trichomonas vaginalis
- more common in non-white ethnic groups
- isolation is greater in men >30 years
- bacterial infections, e.g. Ureaplasma urealyticum which may account for 5%–10% of cases of acute NGU
- upper urinary tract infections – 6 % of cases
- herpes simplex – less common 2-3%
- Adenovirus – seen in 2-4% of symptomatic patients, conjunctivitis is often seen in these patients as well
- rarely N. meningitidis, Haemophilus sp., Candida sp., urethral stricture and foreign bodies
- condyloma accuminata
- trauma - mechanical or chemical
- cancer of the penis
- primary syphilis
- upper urinary tract abnormalities (1,2)
Reference:
chlamydia trachomatis and non-gonococcal urethritis