Ureaplasma urealyticum: quantitative cultures in nongonococcal urethritis

Ureaplasma urealyticum is found in the human urogenital tract both in health and in disease. Recently, increased interest has been aroused in order to demonstrate its primary role in nongonococcal urethritis (NGU). The purpose of the present study was to determine the incidence of Ureaplasma urealyticum in subjects with urethritis to ascertain its pathogenicity in the disease. We have not found a significant difference in the Ureaplasma urealyticum isolation rate between patients with NGU, with gonorrhoeae and controls. However, high counts (≥105 ucc/ml) of the microorganism were demonstrated in patients with Chlamydia trachomatis-negative NGU. Quantitative evaluation of Ureaplasma urealyticum in urethral samples may help to select the patients who need specific treatment