II. Causes
- Infection
- Urinary Tract Infection (E. coli >75% of cases, and the rest Enterobacteriaceae)
- Urethritis
- Neisseria gonorrhoeae or Gonorrhea (213 cases per 100,000 U.S. men in 2018)
- Chlamydia trachomatisUrethritis (381 cases per 100,000 U.S. men, most common cause of Urethritis)
- Mycoplasma Genitalium (1-3% of Non-Gonococcal Urethritis, esp in Gay Men, younger, smokers, multiple partners)
- Trichomonas vaginalis (0.5% in men, but up to 10% in high STD Prevalence areas, older men, jail, multiple partners)
- Genital Herpes or HSV II infection (Meatitis and Urethritis)
- Prostatitis (Enterobacteriaceae)
- Epididymitis and Orchitis (Enterobacteriaceae, Mumps)
- Balanitis
- Obstructive Uropathy
- Benign Prostatic Hypertrophy
- May also predispose to Urinary Tract Infection
- Urethral Stricture
- Benign Prostatic Hypertrophy
- Miscellaneous Causes
- Prostadynia
- Non-gender specific causes
III. Findings: Symptoms and Signs
- See related conditions
- Urinary Tract Infection
- Hematuria, frequency, nitrite positive
- Pyelonephritis
- Prostatitis
- Prostatic tenderness
- Epididymitis or Orchitis (consider Testicular Torsion)
- Unilateral tenderness, swelling at epididymis
- Urinary Tract Infection
- Mucopurulent Urethral discharge suggests STD Urethritis
-
Penile Lesion present
- Vesicles: Genital Herpes
- Ulcer: See Genital Ulcer
- Chancroid (painful ulcer, associated inguinal adenopathy)
- Genital Herpes (painful ulcer)
- Syphilis (painless ulcer)
- Glans irritation: Balanitis
- Scrotal Pain
- Perineal or Rectal Pain or Prostate pain on palpation
- Prostatitis
- Prostadynia
IV. Evaluation
- Labs in all patients
- Urinalysis with microscopy
- Urine Culture
- Sexually active patient
- If obtaining STD testing via PCR probe from urine
- Void into non-sterile cup (without cleaning tip of penis)
- Stop, clean tip of penis with wipe
- Void into sterile cup for Urinalysis and Urine Culture
- Routine PCR swab for Gonorrhea and Chlamydia (from "dirty" urine or Urethra)
- Urethral discharge
- Urethral smear for diplococci (Gonococcus)
- Urethral culture
- Offer other STD Testing (blood testing)
- Rapid plasmin reagin (RPR) or VDRL
- Human Immunodeficiency Test (HIV)
- Hepatitis B Testing (HBsAg)
- If obtaining STD testing via PCR probe from urine
- Symptoms of Prostatitis
- Consider Expressed Prostatic Secretion exam (rarely done)
- Do not perform Prostatic Massage in Acute Prostatitis
V. Management: General Approach when STD unlikely
- Treat underlying condition
-
Antibiotic selection based on likely source of infection
- Urinary Tract Infection
- Treat Urinary Tract Infections for 7 days in men
- If Prostatitis is considered a possible source, avoid Nitrofurantoin, fosfomycin and beta-lactams
- Acute Prostatitis
- Epididymitis
- Urinary Tract Infection
- Consider topical or systemic genitourinary irritants (see Dysuria and Dysuria in Men)
- Consider imaging and/or Consultation
- Persistent Hematuria without pyuria (e.g. CT Urogram, Cystoscopy)
- Urine Culture confirmed Urinary Tract Infection (e.g. post-void residual, renal/Bladder Ultrasound)
-
Recurrent Urinary Tract Infection
- Consider BPH as cause of Recurrent UTI (related to Urethral obstruction)
- Consider Chronic Prostatitis as cause of Recurrent UTI with same organism
VI. Management: Empiric for sexually active patients with risk of STD
-
Chlamydia management
- Doxycycline 100 mg twice daily for 7 days (preferred as of 2020) OR
- Azithromycin 1 g orally for 1 dose
-
Gonorrhea management
- Ceftriaxone 500 mg IM/IV for 1 dose (1 gram IM/IV if weight > 150 kg, dose increased in 2020) OR
- Gentamicin 240 mg IM and Azithromycin 2 g orally for one dose OR
- Cefixime 800 mg orally once is an alternative but NOT recommended due to Antibiotic Resistance
- Recurrent symptoms with same partner (cover Trichomonas and Ureaplasma)
- Drug 1: Metronidazole 500 mg orally daily for 5 days AND
- Drug 2: Choose one of the following
- Azithromycin 500 mg orally once daily for 5 days or
- Doxycycline 100 mg once daily for 7 days
- References
VII. References
- (2019) Sanford Guide, accessed on IOS 9/22/2019
- Brill (2010) Am Fam Physician 81(7): 873-8 [PubMed]
- Kurowski (1998) Am Fam Physician 57(9): 2155-64 [PubMed]
- Michels (2015) Am Fam Physician 92(9): 778-86 [PubMed]
- Roberts (1999) Am Fam Physician 60(3): 865-72 [PubMed]
- Sell (2021) Am Fam Physician 103(9): 553-8 [PubMed]