Varieties of Urethritis
The inflammatory cause is used to classify the numerous types of urethritis. Two forms of urethritis exist.
Urethritis caused by gonococci
Nongonococcal urethritis 2: Urethritis caused by gonococci
Gonococcal urethritis is an infection of the urethra caused by bacteria (gonorrhoea). The bacterial organism Neisseria gonorrhoeae induces severe urethral inflammation. A purulent urethral discharge develops after a brief incubation period of 2 to 5 days following sexual contact and urinary discomfort.
If the infection spreads to the proximal urethra, micturition frequency may increase. Approximately 70% of gonococcal infections in females are asymptomatic, whereas 90% of infections in males cause symptoms.
It is able to permeate intact urethral mucosa. The gonococcus is capable of infecting the submucosa and subsequently spreading to the corpus spongiosum. This is an acute suppurative inflammation characterised by increased vascularity, edoema, and infiltration by polymorph leukocytes.
It is common for the periurethral tissues to become inflamed, but this condition can also affect the prostate and epididymis. Abscesses can develop at any of these locations. Several years after the initial infection, urethral stricture may develop as a result of fibrosis in relation to injured periurethral glands. Gonorrhoea is a common disease that predominantly affects young people and is highly contagious.
Gonococcal urethritis can result in a severe systemic infection characterised by fever, petechiae, and small, sensitive papules. After eye infections, tenosynovitis, arthritis, and corneal fibrosis are all possibilities.
urethritis not caused by gonococci
Non-gonorrhea urethritis (NGU) is an infection of the urethra caused by bacteria other than those that cause gonorrhoea. The urethra is the conduit that carries urine from the bladder to the penis in men or the labia in women. This infection can be triggered or caused by a variety of species, but the most common cause is Chlamydia, a sexually transmitted disease (STD) caused by a bacterium.
Mycoplasma is the second most common cause of NGU, accounting for 15% to 20% of cases; however, mycoplasma testing is not widely available.
Less frequent causes of non-gonococcal urethritis include Trichomonas vaginalis, herpes simplex virus, Epstein Barr virus, and Adenovirus infections. Enteric bacteria are an uncommon cause of non-gonococcal urethritis, which primarily impacts men who engage in anal insertion. On gramme stain, non-gonococcal urethritis (NGU) is distinguished by the presence of polymorphonuclear leukocytes and the absence of intracellular gram-negative diplococci.
Not all men with urethritis exhibit symptoms, and approximately 40 percent of non-gonococcal urethritis cases are asymptomatic.
In patients with regional lymphadenopathy, constitutional symptoms, or cysts, HSV NGU can induce urethritis.
Who obtains NGU?
The organisms that cause NGU are sexually transmitted, and female urethra infection during intercourse is uncommon. NGU is detected more frequently in males. This infection is most prevalent among men aged 15 to 30 who have multiple sexual partners. Chlamydia trachomatis is the leading cause of nongonococcal urethritis, accounting for 15 to 40 percent of all cases.
