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Non-Specific Urethritis/NGU

Hi,

I'm a male from the UK and recently went to the sexual health clinic with symptoms. I was diagnosed with Non-Specific Urethritis. Thing is, I'm not sure that it has been caused by sex, though, from what I have read, other causes are not very common?

Possibilities are that, I am uncommon, and the cause is unknown, OR is it possible that I did contract NSU from my previous girlfriend, but that symptoms were some-what delayed? We had last had sex @ Christmas.

My main question/concern here, is that I've been in a new relationship for around 2months, and though we have always had protective vaginal sex, we have had unprotected oral sex, the most recent, last week.

Can I have passed NSU to my new partner - even if the cause of MY NSU may have been non-sexual?

Thanks in advance
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Avatar universal
Is it possible in a monogamous relationship to get NGU from anal and vaginal sex male/female?
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Avatar universal
You're welcome.

I should also add to my last paragraph above that this can also happens with manogamous partners who have been together for a while.
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Thank you all for your replies. Has helped me better understand the situation. Great site and great people.
Thanks
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Avatar universal
Here is something I just wrote in a different thread:

"I said it "may" not pose a serious health risk.  I say that because it's dependent on what is causing the NGU.  Since you had oral, we know it's not caused by Chlamydia, so you might have non chlamydia NGU.  There are other known causes of NGU such as Mycoplasma Genitalium and Ureaplasma, as well as adenovirus and herpes.  Studies have shown that M. Genitalium can be passed through oral sex, as well as herpes.  Cases of NGU caused by M. Genitalium are around 10%, which means it's a low probability, and herpes is even lower.  Those are the known pathogens, but there are a host of other unknown pathogens or bacteria that can cause NGU.  In about 65% of non chlamydia NGU cases, a causative organism is never identified.  In other words, there are bacteria out there that cause NGU, but the medical and research community haven't been able to identify all the bacteria that causes NGU.  Because these bacteria aren't known pathogens, they aren't considered harmful, and could be normal bacteria of the mouth, which means it may not be harmful to the female genital tract but it irritates the male genital tract.  No one knows this for sure, this is conjecture.  There aren't studies/ evidence for or against this......and this is why I say that even if you have NCNGU, it MAY not pose a risk to your fiance!  NGU caused by chlamydia and M Gen can be very harmful, especially for the female reproductuve system, but it's very unlikely this would be the case for you. "

Although some of that may not apply to you, it will help you understand some of the causes of NSU.  Standard practice is to treat you and your partner for it.  Although it may be normal oral bacteria of the mouth, it can also be some other pathogen not detected.  Treatment for both of you will help prevent you from getting this again.  It may not be 100% effective at preventing you from getting this again, but it might help.  

To your questions:
1.  This is a non issue.  Everyone is in agreement you didn't get it from your ex and if in a very rare case you have irritation that caused this, it wouldn't be passed to your GF.  

2.  See my blurb above.  Who knows where or why, but it's most likely from some oral bacteria.  

I know it can be a difficult subject to broach with her, but the fact is, no one did anything wrong, NSU is something that happens from time to time with new partners and new bacteria being introduced to the genital tract.  Show her this thread and she will understand that there is no infidelity going on here, just something that happens.  You have many people here that are backing that theory.  
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101028 tn?1419603004
normal mouth flora isn't so normal in the urogenital tract and it can cause ngu. I totally agree that it's your current gf that was the cause of this, not your former gf.  doesn't mean she has some sort of std that needs treated, it means that you had an introduction of "foreign" bacteria into your urogenital tract that has caused you to have symptoms you are noticing. make sense?

so what do you do? well it's not uncommon for this to come back so consider having protected oral sex with your partner at this point.

grace
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1318465 tn?1614894302
Hi

So you know I was diagnosed with NGU.   A long time ago.

I want to start off by agreeing with what shaken2core said, "The reason I say it most likely came from your current GF is because the latest symptoms will appear is around 4-5 weeks, but they can also appear as early as early as 2-3 days."    This is very true.  Usally something comes up from experience from at about day 3 plus or minus a day.

1.  This is an "IF" questions.  I going to believe that you caught NGU/NSU from your current gf.  
also NSU does not  originate from you.  Its very hard to get an oral STD infection.   Very very had.   Don't worry about give your current GF an oral STD, she may get in infection not related to this, like the common cold or the flu, but not NGU causing bacteria.
You are worrying too much about this.

2. NSU is a condition of the urethra (in both men and women), its inflammation of the urethra.   You can't get NSU in the mouth, that's like saying I have back pain in my finger.     If you auired NSU from oral sex then  you can't pass this to someone.  Again don't worry about transfering something orally to her, its a bit hard to do  that.
  

Here's a link that helped me: http://www.region8ipp.com/Docs/Articles/35538.pdf

and a thread on NGU/NSU: http://www.medhelp.org/posts/STDs/Nongonaccal-Urethritis-Transmission/show/1513138?personal_page_id=1411239#post_6917604
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Avatar universal
Firstly, thank-you for replying.

I should have mentioned, in the first instance after my previous relationship ended, it was after I found she had cheated, and - whether it was all in my mind or not - I thought something didnt feel right - I went to the Sexual Health Clinic, who ran a full screen for everything of urine and bloods and all came back negative. So put it out of my mind, with I guess hardly, if any further symptoms

It was only the beginiing of this week when I appeared to have symptoms - those being very irritative tip of the penis, dark red in coulour, and discharge that was yellowy. I went back to the clinic and they took urine again, and also a swab from the end of the penis. This confirmed there was infection present.

2 further questions to clarify (sorry)...

1. If, given the above, for instance I DID get NSU from my ex, and symptoms were mild/non-exitent until this week, or if the NSU did infact originate from me, can I not have passed it on to my new GF orally? Would there be a higher risk of getting it back from her?

2. If the NSU has been contracted from my new GF via oral sex, what has this been caused by? Is it from previous partners - or just from general bacteria in the mouth?

Sorry once again, but as you can imagine - it's a new realtionship and a tricky subject to broach. Here in the UK a search for non-specific basically just tells you it's an STI caught from having sex...not many sites seem to explain properly, and mention an STI to a new partner, and try explain its not as it sounds, sure to raise doubts. Just want to be 100% clear

Thanks again
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Avatar universal
The cause of your NSU us most likely from you current GF.  NSU is also caused by oral sex.  The reason I say it most likely came from your current GF is because the latest symptoms will appear is around 4-5 weeks, but they can also appear as early as early as 2-3 days.  So, you ex GF is ruled out due to length of time.  Uncommon reasons are probably not likely becasue they are so uncommon.  The fact that you had unprotected oral sex with a new partner would lead me to believe you contracted this from oral sex.  It seems NSU is common with oral sex and new partners.  

You cannot pass NSU on to her via oral sex, and you've been having condom protect vaginal sex, however, since she probably gave it to you, both of you should be examined and treated so this doesn't continue to get passed back and forth.  

What are your symptoms and what were you tested for?  I'm assuming you were negative for Gonorrhea.  How did the clinic determine you had NSU?  
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