NonGonococcal Urethritis NGU

NonGonococcal Urethritis, sometimes called nonspecific urethritis (NSU), is a term used to describe any inflammation of the urethra that is not caused by the gonorrhea bacteria. The germs that can cause NonGonococcal Urethritis are: Chlamydia trachomatis (most common), Ureaplasma urealyticum, Trichomonas vaginalis (rare), Herpes simplex virus (rare), Adenovirus, Haemophilus vaginalis, Mycoplasm genitalium but not only. 10% to 20 % of NGU infections are caused by unknown infections. NGU is most commonly transmitted through unprotected vaginal, oral or anal sex, but also through skin-to-skin contact with an infected person’s mucus membranes.

NGU is one of the most common sexually transmitted diseases in the US, affecting both men and women. There are more than 600,000 NGU infection cases reported each year. NGU may affect any age but has a peak incidence in the sexually active men aged 20-24 years, because the male urethra is more likely to suffer from this kind of infection rather than the female urethra. Internationally there are approximately 89 million new cases of NGU reported each year.     

SIGNS AND SYMPTOMS 

Symptoms generally begin 4 days to 2 weeks after contact with an infected partner, or the patient may be asymptomatic.

The most common symptoms in men include: urethral discharge (the fluid may be yellow, green, brown, or tinged with blood, and production is unrelated to sexual activity), dysuria (pain or burning sensation when urinating), itching, irritation and tenderness of the penis, orchalgia (a chronic pain of the testicles or scrotum that typically lasts for more than three months).

Women are usually asymptomatic (up to 75 %) but they can experience dysuria and a frequent need to urinate. 

TREATMENT 

The treatment for NonGonococcal Urethritis consists of a course of oral antibiotics. The most commonly prescribed are: Doxycycline (Vibramycin), Erythromycin, Tetracycline (Achromycin, Tetracyn or Sumycin), Levofloxacin (Quixin or Levaquin), Azithromycin (or Zythromax), Ceftriaxone (Rocephin). 

COMPLICATIONS 

In men, left untreated, NGU can lead to epididymitis (inflammation of the epididymis, the elongated, cordlike structure along the posterior border of the testes), infertility, Reiter's syndrome (arthritis), conjunctivitis (eye infection), skin lesions, discharge.

In women NGU can cause Pelvic Inflammatory Disease (PID) which can result in ectopic(tubal) pregnancy, infertility, chronic pelvic pain, urethritis, vaginitis (irritation, redness, or swelling of the vaginal tissues, usually resulting from a bacterial infection), mucopurulent cervicitis (MPC) (inflammation of the tissues of the cervix), spontaneous abortion (miscarriage), etc.

NGU can also affect newborn infants causing conjunctivitis, ear infection, pneumonia (lung infection). 

PREVENTION 

The best form of prevention is abstinence from sexual activities. Other means of preventing contracting NGU are: always using a condom, limiting the number of sexual partners, getting tested for STDs on a regular basis. If you experience symptoms of any STD, refrain from all sexual activity and get tested immediately.

Sexually Transmitted Disease STD       HPV HPV and HPV Vaccine HIV AIDS HIV AIDS Epidemic Among Men Who Have Sex With Men Among Women Who Have Sex With Women Mother To Child Transmission