In natal males, it can cause urethral discharge or burning with urination.
Mgenis the cause of several types of infections, includingcervicitisandnongonococcal urethritis(NGU).
It is spread through unprotected sexual intercourse.Mgenis treatable, but if left untreated, it can cause complications.
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This article will discuss the causes and symptoms ofMgen.
It will also cover howMgenis diagnosed and treated and what you’re able to do to prevent it.
What Causes an Mgen Infection?
It can also infect the rectum.
Mgenis a common sexually transmitted infection.
According to some estimates, up to 1% of people in developed countries are infected withMgen.
In developing countries, the incidence may be as high as 4%.
Mycoplasma Genitalium Symptoms
By and large, most cases ofMgendon’t cause symptoms.
Mycoplasma genitaliumsymptoms also differ in natal females and males.
As with other STIs,Mgenmay also cause an unusual smell.
Some people withMgennotice a fishy odor, which tends to be more prominent after sex.
TheMgenbacterium is spread throughunprotected sexual intercourse.
This can include vaginal and anal sex.
Some people haveMgenfor years without knowing it.
That’s because most people do not develop symptoms.
Mgen Complications
Mgencan cause complications in both natal males and females.
These can include:
Diagnosis
There is no approved blood test fordiagnosingMgen.
Anucleic acid amplification test (NAAT)is the standard test for a diagnosis.
Healthcare providers who diagnoseMycoplasma genitaliumbased on symptoms alone and treat it accordingly may be right, but not always.
That means that some people may have an entirely different infection that warrants a different treatment.
Had the infection been properly identified from the start, the correct medication could have been started sooner.
NAAT is, therefore, the recommended testing method to diagnose a suspected case ofMgen.
Treatment
Mycoplasma genitaliumis typically treated with antibiotics.
In the past, the most common form of treatment was a single 1-gram (g) dose ofazithromycin.
This will help prevent passing the infection on to someone else.
Summary
Mycoplasma genitaliumis a sexually transmitted infection resulting from a bacterium.
Many people don’t know they haveMgenbecause they don’t have symptoms.
If symptoms occur, they can include burning with urination, pain, and abnormal discharge.
Treatment forMgeninvolves antibiotics targeting the specific variant of the bacterium.Mgencan be prevented through protected sex with a condom.
Contact a healthcare provider if you have have symptoms ofMgenor another STI.
Also see a healthcare provider if your partner is showing signs of an STI.
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Horner PJ, Martin DH.Mycoplasma genitalium Infection in Men.J Infect Dis.
2017;216(suppl_2):S396-S405.
doi:10.1093/infdis/jix145
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.About mycoplasma genitalium.
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.Sexually transmitted infections treatment guidelines.
Unemo M, Nicholas RA.Emergence of multidrug-resistant, extensively drug-resistant and untreatable gonorrhea.Future Microbiol.
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