MYCOPLASMA-GENITALIUM - A CAUSE OF MALE URETHRITIS

Background-Male urethritis may be caused by mycoplasmas. Since Mycopla sma genitalium has previously been isolated from the urethra of two me n with non-gonococcal urethritis (NGU), it was the aim of the study fu rther to elucidate its role by measuring the prevalence of this organi sm in men with NGU. Material and methods-The polymerase chain reaction was used. Two different sequences of the gene coding for the main adh esin MgPa were amplified. Urethral, rectal, and throat samples from 99 male sexually transmitted disease (STD) patients with and without ure thritis were studied. Results-M genitalium DNA was demonstrated in 17/ 99 (17%) of the urethral swabs, but in none of the rectal and throat s wabs. Significantly more patients with urethritis (13/52) were positiv e for M genitalium DNA than were patients without urethritis (4/47) (p < 0-03). In those with urethritis M genitalium DNA was found more oft en in Chlamydia trachomatis negative NGU (12/34) than in those with ch lamydial NGU (1/14) (p = 0-05). Attempts to culture M genitalium from the PCR positive specimens were unsuccessful. Conclusions-M genitalium DNA was found significantly more often in male STD patients with non- chlamydial NGU than in men with chlamydial urethritis (p = 0.05) and i n men without urethritis (p = 0.003), suggesting that M genitalium may be a cause of NGU. M genitalium DNA was not demonstrated in any of th e throat or rectal swabsindicating that the urogenital tract is probab ly the primary site of infection or colonisation of this species.