J. Mazuecos et al., ANAEROBIC-BACTERIA IN MEN WITH URETHRITIS, JEADV. Journal of the European Academy of Dermatology and Venereology, 10(3), 1998, pp. 237-242
Aim Investigation of the urethral flora in men with urethritis, with p
articular reference to anaerobic bacteria. Methods Multiple cultures w
ere performed on three urethral samples from 110 men attending the STD
Clinic of the School of Medicine in Seville: 35 with no evidence of u
rethritis (control group), and 75 with urethritis (17 gonococcal ureth
ritis (GU) and 58 non-gonococcal urethritis (NGU)). In the 58 men with
NGU, Chlamydia trachomatis was isolated in 16 (27.5%), Ureaplasma ure
alyticum in 18 (31%), Trichomonas vaginalis in two (3.4%) and no patho
gens were isolated in the remaining 22 (38%) patients. Results Aerobic
flora, mainly Staphylococcus spp., were isolated less frequently (41%
) in patients with GU than in the control group (80%), and those with
NGU (72%). Anaerobic flora were isolated in 62% of patients, with simi
lar isolation rates in each group. Gram-negative anaerobes were mon fr
equently isolated in men with urethritis, especially NGU, compared to
controls (P < 0.05). Prevotella spp. and Bacteroides spp. were signifi
cantly more frequently isolated in patients with NGU, including Chlamy
dia-negative NGU. Fusobacterium spp. were more frequent in the Chlamyd
ia-positive NGU than in the controls (P < 0.05). P. magnus was the mos
t frequent anaerobic species found in the control group, while P. prev
otii was most frequently seen in the urethritis group. B. ureolyticus,
P. prevotii and P. tetradius were more frequent on the NGU group (P <
0.05). B. ureolyticus was commoner in patients with Chlamydia-negativ
e NGU, while P. tetradius and P. asaccharolytica was commoner in those
where C. trachomatis was isolated than in the control group. Conclusi
on Urethral microflora isolated showed ten bacterial genus and 25 diff
erent species of anaerobes. The spectrum of these microflora changed w
ith the presence of urethritis and varied with its aetiology. (C) 1998
Elsevier Science B.V.