ANAEROBIC-BACTERIA IN MEN WITH URETHRITIS

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.