Non-gonococcal urethritis

Non-gonococcal urethritis, abbreviated NGU, is inflammation of the urethra that is not caused by gonorrhea. Clinicians separate infectious urethritis into gonococcal and non-gonococcal forms because the gonorrhea organism can be seen on a Gram stain of urethral discharge in men, so the non-gonococcal group is defined by exclusion. Symptoms include pain or burning on urination, discharge and itching or irritation, and women may have few or no symptoms until complications such as pelvic inflammatory disease develop. Many organisms can be responsible: Chlamydia trachomatis is the most common bacterial cause, followed by Ureaplasma urealyticum, Mycoplasma genitalium and others, while herpes simplex viruses and adenoviruses account for a smaller share. Mechanical injury and irritating chemicals can also cause it, and in 20 to 50 percent of cases no specific cause is found. Treatment is usually a broad-spectrum antibiotic active against chlamydia, such as doxycycline, with treatment of sexual contacts. Untreated, it can lead to epididymitis and infertility.