UREAPLASMA UREALYTICUM: SYMPTOMS, CONTAGION AND TREATMENT - MEDICINE - 2025

The u reaplasma urealyticum is a bacterium belonging to the family of mycoplasmas that can be found on the genitals of almost 70% of the sexually active adult population, but not at all obvious causes an infectious event. This is likely due to its low pathogenicity.

However, this bacteria is very contagious. Its percentage of transmission, from a carrier to a healthy person, is very high. Unlike what is commonly thought, the infection does not occur only through sexual contact, there are different mechanisms of contagion.

Due to the peculiarities of this bacterium, especially its cell wall, the treatment of ureaplasma urealyticum infections must comply with certain standards and only few antibiotics show effectiveness against it. However, like the vast majority of sexually transmitted infections, there are effective prevention methods.

Although it is not among the most feared sexual diseases, the complications associated with its infection can be very severe in both men and women. A separate mention deserves the consequences of this infection in relation to pregnancy, including sometimes the inability to conceive.

Symptoms of infection

Despite the fact that a significant number of people are regular carriers of this bacterium, few show symptoms of infection. The clinical manifestations in the urogenital area have an obvious difference between the genders, which are described below:

mens

The most important signs and symptoms in individuals of the male gender are:

Urethritis

It is the acute inflammation of the urethra with the presence of purulent discharge. It is almost always accompanied by pain or burning when urinating, frequency, urgency, and urgency. The discharge does not necessarily have a bad odor, but it can be abundant and very thick.

Prostatitis

Ureaplasma can also cause inflammation of the prostate gland, with its respective consequences. The main of these is the reduction of the urethral lumen with the risk of acute urine retention. The discharge of secretion from the prostate through the urethra is a real possibility and can be confusing.

Proctitis

Although not typical in ureaplasma infections, inflammation of the rectum is a possible complication. It occurs due to contiguity with the prostate or through sexual practices through the anus. The most important symptoms are rectal tenesmus, bleeding, mucous discharge, and painful bowel movements.

Epididymitis

Testicular inflammation associated with sexually transmitted diseases is due to epididymitis. The presence of bacteria in this tubular structure also causes dysuria, burning when ejaculating with the presence of blood in the semen, urethral discharge and even fever in severe infections.

Women

The most frequent symptoms among female representatives include:

Cervicitis

Although this term is sometimes used to define inflammation of the uterus as well, it is correct to limit its use to the condition only of the cervix.

It can manifest with non-menstrual bleeding, pain during intercourse, abnormal vaginal discharge, and a bad smell. However, in many patients there are no significant clinical manifestations.

Salpingitis

It is the inflammation of the fallopian tubes, which communicate the uterus with the ovaries. When the latter are also compromised, it is known as adnexitis.

It presents as a picture of an acute surgical abdomen even when its treatment is medical. Pain in the iliac fossa is common; if it is on the right side, this pain is mistaken for appendicitis.

Infertility

The inability for the woman to become pregnant is an unfortunate consequence of ureaplasma infections. The two previous sections, salpingitis and adnexitis, are responsible for this fact.

The inflammation and abnormal secretion prevent the sperm from fertilizing the egg and from this being achieved, it cannot fixate on the endometrium.

Abortion

One of the complications related to this infection is abortion. The weakness of the diseased cervix and the toxic environment seem to play a role in the loss of the gestational product.

Chorioamnionitis

If successful fertilization and implantation are finally achieved and the pregnancy progresses in time, a new complication may occur: infection of the amniotic sac where the fetus rests. This can lead to birth defects, premature delivery, and fetal death.

A full-term pregnancy is not risk-free yet. The newborn of a mother with ureaplasma urealyticum has a high chance of suffering from pneumonia and meningitis. Furthermore, the risk of neurological deficit is statistically higher in these children than in the rest of the child population.

How is contagion given?

Although ureaplasma urealyticum infection is considered a sexually transmitted disease, this is not the only form of infection.

This bacterium has a very high contagion capacity despite its low pathogenicity. This means that its passage from one person to another is very likely, but the generation of symptoms is not so likely.

Sexual contact is the most recognized form of contagion, but other important routes have been proven. Blood transfusions, contaminated needles, saliva, and even air have proven to be transport vehicles for the bacteria. It can then be shown that contagion is simple.

Evaluating the above written, the question arises: why, if the contagion is so high, the generation of symptoms is not?

The researchers claim that the bacterium has several genes that code for surface proteins, many with antigenic capacity, which elicits a rapid antibody response from the host, thus preventing disease.

Treatment

Ureaplasma urealyticum, like all bacteria in the Mycoplasmataceae family, has certain peculiarities that make it resistant to various antibiotics.

The most important of these characteristics is its cell wall, or rather, the lack of it. The cell wall of these bacteria is not well defined, rendering the antibiotics that act there useless.

This is why the antimicrobials of choice for ureaplasma infections are those that have an effect inside the cell and not on the wall.

Macrolides, such as azithromycin, tetracyclines, doxycycline or some aminoglycosides such as the classic streptomycin are the most indicated at present.

References

1. Waites, Ken B. (2017). Ureaplasma Infection. Recovered from: emedicine.medscape.com
2. Wang, Yougan et al. (2010). Effects of Ureaplasma urealyticum infection on the male reproductive system in experimental rats. Andrologia, 42 (5): 297-301.
3. Kokkayil, P. and Dhawan, B. (2015). Ureaplasma: current perspectives. Indian Journal of Medical Microbiology, 33 (2): 205-214.
4. Zhu, C. et al. (2012). Prevalence and antimicrobial susceptibility of Ureaplasma urealyticum and Mycoplasma hominis in Chinese women with genital infectious diseases. Indian Journal of Dermatology, Venereology and Leprology, 78 (3): 406-407.
5. Treated (2015). Mycoplasma and Ureaplasma: Are they Sexually Transmitted Infections? Recovered from: treated.com
6. Wikipedia (last edition 2018). Ureaplasma urealyticum infection. Recovered from: en.wikipedia.org