ABSTRACT

With a high incidence, sexually transmitted diseases are one of the most important public health problems all over the world and urethritis is the most prevalent clinical symptom among men. Urethritis causes urethral discharge and dysuria and caused by various agents.

In this study, between July 2010-August 2011, the prevalence of Neisseria gonorrhoeae, Chlamydia trachomatis, Ureaplasma urealyticum and Mycoplasma hominis, which are found in the urethral smear and urine samples of 140 men with urethritis, are investigated. Gram stained urethral samples were examined for polymorphonuclear leukocytes and intracellular diplococci.

In the samples that are positive for N. gonorrhoeae, C. trachomatis, U. urealyticum and M. hominis, the prevalance of ≥5 PMN are found to be 100%, 54%, 33% and 20%, respectively. ≥5 PMN leukocytes were found in 7 patients (5%), however no pathogen was detected in any of these patients.

This study emphasizes the benefit of microscopic examination in pre-diagnosis of symptomatic patients and the importance of epidemiological studies against the struggle for sexually transmitted diseases.

Keywords: Gonococcal urethritis, non-gonococcal urethritis, prevalence