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STDs (Expert Forum)
Ureaplasma?
Answered by
University of Washington
Seattle - WA
Welcome to the STD Forum, which is intended only for questions and support pertaining to sexually transmitted diseases other than HIV/AIDS, including chlamydia, gonorrhea, syphilis, human papillomavirus, genital warts, trichomonas, other vaginal infections, nongonoccal urethritis (NGU), cervicitis, molluscum contagiosum, chancroid, and pelvic inflammatory disease (PID). All questions will be answered by H. Hunter Handsfield, M.D. or Edward W Hook, MD.
Ureaplasma?
by stringbean2, Jan 19, 2005 12:00AM
I am a female. About a year agot I was diagnosed with ureaplasma. It is asymptomatic and I got it from my long term boyfriend who may have had it for a longtime. (I know I got it from him because, I tested negative for it right before we got together and I had no other sexual partners the whole time I was with him). I took doxyclycene and got rid of it but the boyfriend didn't. I got reinfected. I have sinced stopped sleeping with him and took doxyclene again which I finished about two weeks ago. I assumed the antibiotics would work again but have gotten retested and its still positive. Unfortunately, at the very end of my treatment (day 11 into the 15 day dosages) I had sex with a new male partner. We had sex 3 times, using a condom however he penetrated me briefly (15 seconds)without the condom before putting the condom on and eventually ejaculating. I also performed oral sex on him without a condom briefly (1-2 minutes) without him ejaculating. My question is, how high is the risk that he got infected? and what is the percentage of a false positive on my test? My doctor says I should try Cipro. There is a lot of controversy about ureaplasma, some clinics don't test for it or haven't even heard of it. I need some answers. Thanks.
Doctor's Answer
by H. Hunter Handsfield, M.D., Jan 19, 2005 12:00AM
, Jan 19, 2005 12:00AM
You're right, most clinics and doctors don't test for Ureaplasma, and for good reason. It really isn't all that controversial among real STD experts. The bottom line is that all sexually active persons get Ureaplasma at one time or another; routine testing would simply pick up people carrying the organism, which rarely if ever causes disease. Therefore it isn't recommended by CDC or other STD experts and is done by few physicians in this country. Look at it as part of the normal bacteria that normal people carry. Since it's in the genitals (vagina, urethra) the organism indeed can be transmitted sexually.
That's the simple view. Things are always more complex. Newer research suggests that some Ureplasma strains may be more likely to cause real disease than others. However, no test done by routine labs distinguishes the "good" vs "bad" strains. In addition, even with the "bad" strains, actual disease has only been found in men, in whom Ureaplasma may sometimes cause nongonococcal urethritis (NGU); no important health problems are known to occur from Ureaplasma in women.
Bottom line: No real STD experts in the U.S. routinely test for Ureaplasma; and if we think it is present, no treatment is prescibed. There is some difference of opinion in different countries. For example, if you are in Spain, you're more likely to run into docs who look at Ureaplasma more seriously than I do.
With that as background, you need do nothing about your partner--indeed I fear you have done too much already, all of it unnecessary. In he gets symptoms, in particular NGU (the main symptom would be urethral discharge), he should seek treatment. Otherwise, skip the antibiotics and condoms and enjoy each other.
Good luck-- HHH, MD
That's the simple view. Things are always more complex. Newer research suggests that some Ureplasma strains may be more likely to cause real disease than others. However, no test done by routine labs distinguishes the "good" vs "bad" strains. In addition, even with the "bad" strains, actual disease has only been found in men, in whom Ureaplasma may sometimes cause nongonococcal urethritis (NGU); no important health problems are known to occur from Ureaplasma in women.
Bottom line: No real STD experts in the U.S. routinely test for Ureaplasma; and if we think it is present, no treatment is prescibed. There is some difference of opinion in different countries. For example, if you are in Spain, you're more likely to run into docs who look at Ureaplasma more seriously than I do.
With that as background, you need do nothing about your partner--indeed I fear you have done too much already, all of it unnecessary. In he gets symptoms, in particular NGU (the main symptom would be urethral discharge), he should seek treatment. Otherwise, skip the antibiotics and condoms and enjoy each other.
Good luck-- HHH, MD
Member Comments (1)
by Blackpelican, May 12, 2008 02:38PM
A related discussion, Ureaplasma symptoms was started.
by jangmi, Oct 19, 2008 09:01AM
A related discussion, Ureaplasma was started.
