STD Help

[cbears21]

I recently developed a urinary tract infection.  The physician that treated me said it is very uncommon for younger males to develop UTI's.  He said the probability of me having a STD was high.  

The only sexual experience I have had, outside of my relationship with my girlfriend, was oral sex that I received from a random women 2 months ago.  No symptoms have ever occurred until my UTI and I know my girlfriend is not sexually active with anyone else besides me.  

Are my chances of having a STD elevated based on this encounter?

[cbears21]

Thank you for your response.

There was no discharge.  I had pain when urinating, and even a small amount of blood came out.  The doctor prescribed ciprofloxacin and zitromax.  

I am confused when you say there may be no STD in the usual sense.  Can you elaborate?

Thanks! f

[H. Hunter Handsfield, M.D.]

Welcome to the STD forum.  I'll try to help.

Either you are confused about terminology, or your doctor is, or you didn't understand his advice.  The term UTI usually means infection with non-sexually transmitted bacteria.  It is very RARE in young men, not common.  Most often, an apparent UTI is actually urethritis -- either nongonococcal urethritis or gonorrhea.  Technically these are UTIs, but that terminology normally is not used.  What was the nature of your symptoms?  If there was discharge of pus or mucus from the penis, then for sure you had sexually transmitted urethritis, probably NGU.

That your doctor said the "possibility of having an STD was high" suggests he realizes these things.  He likely knows that about 40% of NGU cases are caused by chlamydia -- which might be why he said there is a high chance of STD.  But even the non-chlamydial cases also are sexually acquired.  And NGU can occur following oral sex, often (it is believed) due to normal oral bacteria.  In other words, there may be no STD in the usual sense.

So the answer to your closing question is absolutely yes.  The chance isn't just "elevated"; most likely you do have an STD.  Whether it came from your casual oral exposure 2 months ago or from your girlfriend is impossible to tell at this point.  Your girlfriend probably needs to be examined and treated.

Did your doctor prescribe an antibiotic?  Which one?

Please discuss these issues with your doctor and return with a comment about his response, and about plans for management of your regular sex partner.

Regards--  HHH, MD