Mycoplasma genitalium is associated with symptomatic and asymptomatic non-gonococcal urethritis in men.
OBJECTIVE
To examine the prevalence of Mycoplasma genitalium in a large number of male patients attending a sexually transmitted infections (STI) clinic and to determine if there is an association with objective non-gonococcal urethritis (NGU) in patients with and without clinical symptoms.


METHODS
Patients were tested for both M genitalium and Chlamydia trachomatis if they had symptoms or microscopic signs of NGU or if they were perceived to be at high-risk of exposure to a STI (n = 8468). Urethral smears were examined for polymorphic mononuclear leucocytes.


RESULTS
We found that M genitalium infection was associated with symptoms of non-chlamydial NGU (discharge and dysuria; OR 4.3; 95% CI 3.4 to 5.5). We also found that M genitalium infection was associated with signs of non-chlamydial NGU independently with or without symptoms of NGU (with symptoms: OR 4.7; 95% CI 3.2 to 6.7; without symptoms: OR 3.1; 95% CI 2.0 to 4.6). Prevalence of M genitalium was also associated with severity of urethritis as quantified by microscopic examination of urethral smears.


CONCLUSIONS
These data add further evidence to the association of M genitalium infection with NGU and should allow better risk analysis of recent recommendations of not performing urethral smears in asymptomatic men attending STI clinics.
Olafia, Medical Division, Rikshospitalet University Hospital and University of Oslo, Medical Faculty, Oslo, Norway.
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Moi
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Reinton
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Moghaddam
D000328:Adult; D053159:Dysuria / Q000382:microbiology; D018451:Homosexuality, Male / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D009175:Mycoplasma Infections / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000382:microbiology; D045704:Mycoplasma genitalium; D009664:Norway / Q000453:epidemiology; D015995:Prevalence; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D011477:Sex Work / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D047568:Unsafe Sex / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D014526:Urethritis / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000382:microbiology