Urethritis in men: evaluation of risk factors and aetiological pathogens among our population
Keywords:
Urethritis, risk factors, aetiological pathogensAbstract
Background Despite all the advances in medicine, sexually transmitted diseases (STDs)are a serious public health problem among younger population in all societies of the world.The same holds true in our community in spite of social and religious restraints.Objective The study aimed to evaluate the risk factors and the etiological pathogens ofurethritis, which is one of the commonest STDs in men among our population.Patients and methods The study was conducted in Military Hospital Rawalpindi from Jan,2002 to Jan, 2003. 60 sexually active male patients of all ages with urethral discharge wereincluded in the study. Those patients who did not have urethral discharge and those whohad taken treatment for their present illness were excluded from the study. A standardizedquestionnaire was used to evaluate the sexual behavior risk factors for acquiring urethritis.This was followed by clinical examination to confirm the presence of urethral discharge.Urethral smear for Gram’s staining and microscopic examination and urethral swab forculture of Neisseria gonorrhoea were done. Endourethral swab for Chlamydia elementarybodies and dark ground illumination for Trichomonas vaginalis were performed. BloodVDRL and HIV screening were also done in all cases.Results The majority of patients (40) were in 20-30 year age group. Half of the patientswere married, 52 (87%) patients were living without family and 52 (87%) patientsbelonged to the low socioeconomic group. 44 (73%) were army personnel. 56 (93%) menhad heterosexual relations, while only 4 patients (7%) reported homosexual contact. 42(70%) men had more than one lifetime sexual partner. 52 (87%) patients had never usedcondoms. Nobody reported drug addiction and visit abroad. 26 (43%) out of 60 hadgonococcal infection. Endourethral swabs for Chlamydia were positive in 14 (23%)patients. 6 patients out of these also had concomitant gonococcal infection. 6 (10%)patients revealed T. vaginalis infection, whereas no causative organism could be isolated in20 (33%) patients.Conclusion High-risk sexual behaviours exist in our population. The prevalence of thesebehaviours among patients attending STD clinics indicates unawareness regardingprecautions to avoid the risk of acquiring STDs. Gonococcal urethritis is the leading causeof urethritis among our populationReferences
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