<i><scp>M</scp>ycoplasma genitalium:</i> prevalence in men presenting with urethritis to a <scp>S</scp>outh <scp>A</scp>ustralian public sexual health clinic

Abstract

Abstract Background/Aim This study aimed to determine the prevalence of M ycoplasma genitalium infection among male patients with dysuria and/or urethral discharge. An analysis of the clinical, demographic and microbiological factors associated with M . genitalium infection was also conducted. Method From M ay 2007 to J une 2011, men presenting to the clinic with self‐reported symptoms of dysuria and/or urethral discharge were identified and underwent urethral swab, which was microscopically assessed for objective non‐gonococcal urethritis. A first‐void urine sample was tested for C hlamydia trachomatis and N eisseria gonorrhoeae using the A ptima C ombo‐2 assay. A portion of the urine sample was sent for polymerase chain reaction analysis for M. genitalium. Results One thousand, one hundred and eighty‐two men with dysuria and/or urethral discharge were tested for M . genitalium . Of those, 96 men (8.1%) were positive for M . genitalium. Men identifying as solely MSM (men who have sex with men) constituted 16.3% ( n = 193) of the sample. Their infection rate was 3.1% ( n = 6). The infection rate for heterosexual and bisexual men was 9.1%. For all men, the M . genitalium co‐infection rate was 14.6% ( n = 14) with C . trachomatis and 3.1% ( n = 3) with N . gonorrhoeae. Factors associated with M . genitalium infection were analysed by univariate analysis. We determined that five investigated predictors were significantly associated with M . genitalium infection, urethral discharge, non‐gonococcal urethritis on G ram stain of urethral smears, identification as heterosexual or bisexual, and absence of co‐infection with C . trachomatis or N . gonorrhoeae. Conclusion I n A delaide, M . genitalium is an important sexually transmitted infection among men with dysuria and/or urethral discharge, and is primarily an infection of heterosexual and bisexual men.