title: Trends in the prevalence of pathogens causing urethritis in Asturias, Spain, 1989-2000.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  There are few studies of recent trends in the etiology and epidemiologic characteristics of specific microorganisms causing urethritis in men.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  The objective of the current study was to show the clinical experience in our country and to evaluate the trends in the prevalence of the pathogens in male urethritis, as well as the epidemiologic patterns in a series of 2101 patients.
  
  
  METHODS
  This was a descriptive study of the etiological agents causing urethritis in our sexually transmitted disease clinics in a period of 12 years (1989-2000), with a comparison of two periods of time.
  
  
  RESULTS
  There were 97 cases of gonococcal urethritis (4.6%), 2004 of nongonococcal urethritis (95.4%), and 82 of mixed urethritis (3.9%). An association was found between gonococcal urethritis and heterosexual men; between chlamydial urethritis and homosexual/bisexual men; Ureaplasma urealyticum urethritis and heterosexual men and patients younger than 30 years of age; and between trichomonal urethritis and patients more than 30 years of age and the presence of HIV antibodies.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  During the period of research there was a significant decrease in cases of Neisseria gonorrhoeae and Chlamydia trachomatis urethritis and an increase in those of U urealyticum urethritis. In conclusion, this report describes changes in the etiology and epidemiologic patterns of urethritis in our country in recent years.
authors.affiliation: Servicio de Dermatología y ETS, Ambulatorio de Pumarín, Gijón, Spain.
authors.forename: José A
authors.initials: JA
authors.lastname: Varela
authors.forename: Luis
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Otero
authors.forename: María José
authors.initials: MJ
authors.lastname: García
authors.forename: Virgilo
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Palacio
authors.forename: Francisco
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Carreño
authors.forename: Mar
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Cuesta
authors.forename: Carmen
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Sánchez
authors.forename: Fernando
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Vázquez
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000367:Age Factors; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D015995:Prevalence; D012725:Sexual Behavior; D012749:Sexually Transmitted Diseases / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000382:microbiology*; D013030:Spain / Q000453:epidemiology; D014526:Urethritis / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000382:microbiology*