Urethritis

Urethritis is acute or chronic inflammation of the urethra, a small tube that carries urine outward from the bladder. It is often accompanied by urethral pain and burning, which become more intense during urination.

Causes

Urethritis recognizes several random agents and the etiology can be viral, bacterial, fungal, iatrogenic or traumatic from time to time. It is generally caused by pathogenic microorganisms that colonize the urethra ascending (from the outside, by sexual contact), by blood (from distant infectious foci) or descending (from the bladder, for example during cystitis).

To ascertain the causes of urethritis, at least two urethral swabs are required on which to perform specific laboratory tests. The analysis techniques differ according to the microorganism responsible for the inflammation.

In the case of ascending or retrograde urethritis, sexual contagion and intimate hygiene habits play an extremely important role. The female urethra, shorter than the male one, together with the absence of the bactericidal effect of prostastic secretions and other unfavorable anatomical peculiarities, makes the woman more susceptible to retrograde urethritis, such as those transmitted sexually. The male, in which the " urethra is the common tract of the urinary and genital tract, it is instead more sensitive to urethritis of anterograde or ascending origin. For this reason the pathology is often associated with prostatitis, the symptoms of which include pain in the rectal region, fever, asthenia, sexual disturbances and difficulty in urinating.

The classic symptomatology of urethritis is purulent urethral discharge, associated with burning during urination; in some cases the patient may be asymptomatic or complain of minor disturbances.

For further information: Urethritis Symptoms

Sexually transmitted urethritis

Frequently urethritis is caused by sexually transmitted infectious diseases (vaginal, oral and anal) such as the dreaded gonorrhea, also known as blenorrhagia or blenorrhea. A first distinction can be made between gonoccal (UG) and non-gonoccal (UNG) urethritis. ).

The prevention of sexually transmitted forms is implemented with the use of condoms in all phases of sexual intercourse.

GONORROIC or GONOCOCCIC URETHRITIS

The pathogenic microorganism responsible for the inflammation is the Neisseria gonorrhoeae, which at first causes purulent urethritis (thick, greenish-yellow urine with pus) in both males and females, in which the course is more frequently asymptomatic. When the disease becomes chronic, it can give rise to various disorders. In women, the most frequent symptom is cervicitis (inflammation of the uterine lining associated with mucopurulent secretions and a sense of annoyance).

RISK FACTORS: sexual promiscuity, use of non-protective contraceptives, often asymptomatic course of infection; increased resistance of the microorganism to antibiotics.

INCUBATION PERIOD: symptom-free, varies from 3 to 7 days.

It is a widespread disease especially among adolescents and young adults, which recognizes sexual promiscuity as the main causative agent. For this reason, the antibiotic therapy of gonorrheal urethritis should also be extended to sexual partners with whom the patient has had intercourse in the 60 days. preceding the symptomatological onset of the disease. There is also the risk that healthy carriers of the disorder will transmit gonorrheal urethritis to their partner, even if they do not show signs or in any case complaining of minor complaints.

CHLAMYDIA TRACHOMATIS URETHRITIS

Chlamydia is the causative agent most frequently implicated in the origin of non-gonoccal urethritis. In women, Chlamidya infections are asymptomatic in about 70% of cases, in men this percentage drops to 50%. It is therefore possible that the disorder arises after years of quiescence, perhaps due to a temporary lowering of the immune defenses.

Complications of the pathology are similar to those described for gonorrheal urethritis, although they occur more rarely and are often modest. Pregnant women should be tested for Chlamydia during the third semester of pregnancy and, if positive, treated earlier. of childbirth.

Also in this case, the most at-risk segment of the population is between 14 and 29 years old. Antibiotic therapy should be extended to partners with whom the patient has had sexual intercourse in the 60 days preceding the symptomatological onset, even if, considering the possible asymptomaticity of the disease, Chlamidian urethritis may be a consequence of sexual intercourse several months before the diagnosis.

OTHER TYPES OF SEXUALLY TRANSMITTED PATHOGENIC URETHRITIS

Often a "urethritis, caused by a particular pathogen, is associated with the infection of other minor microorganisms which, however, have little importance in percentage terms, since they rarely represent the true causative agents of the disease. Among these we remember Trichomonas vaginalis, Mycoplasma hominis and genitalis, Herpes viruses and Ureaplasma urealiticum.



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Other causes of urethritis

Urethritis can also be linked to non-infectious causes, for example to minor trauma to the urethra such as the use of catheter, the presence of kidney stones, cycling, motorbike or horse riding. There are also allergic urethritis in which the disorder is linked to the ingestion of particular foods, to the use of certain drugs or catheters.

Medicines to treat "urethritis"