Genital Mycoplasmas

What are genital mycoplasmas?

Mycoplasmas are the smallest free living bacteria and have no cell membrane. They are slow growing but fast mutating. This means that cultures cannot successfully diagnose a mycoplasma infection. Instead, samples for testing are obtained through urine samples and run through a Nucleic Acid Amplification Test or NAAT. Mycoplasma genitalium, mycoplasma hominis, and ureaplasma are mycoplasmas that can be transmitted through genital to genital contact as well as genital to oral contact.

What is the difference between Mgen, M. hominis, and Ureaplasma?

All three mycoplasma infections have similar but different symptoms. Mycoplasma hominis and ureaplasma can both be found in the genital tract of healthy adults, however mycoplasma genitalium cannot. 

How do genital mycoplasma affect the body?

Genital mycoplasmas affect the body similarly to how a urinary tract infection or gonorrhea would. However, the symptoms vary between mycoplasma infections. 

Mycoplasma genitalium

  • Watery penile discharge

  • Burning or stinging when urinating

  • Urethral discomfort

  • Abnormal discharge

  • Pain during sex

  • Bleeding after sex

  • Bleeding between periods

  • Pain in lower pelvis area

Mycoplasma hominis

  • Foul smelling discharge (typically fishy odor)

  • Burning or stinging when urinating

  • Joint pain

  • Respiratory problems

  • Pain during sex

  • Vaginal itching

Ureaplasma

  • Foul smelling discharge (typically fishy odor)

  • Burning or stinging when urinating

  • Urethral discomfort

  • Vaginal itching

  • Trouble getting pregnant

What are the risks associated with genital mycoplasma?

As with all infections, there is a risk of complications due to a lack of treatment. For genital mycoplasmas, there are different risks associated with each infection. 

Mycoplasma genitalium

M. genitalium can cause complications such as epididymitis or Epididymo-orchitis, or inflammation of the testicles, pelvic inflammatory disease, cervitis, sexually aquired reactive arthritis, and possible miscarriage. In cases of asymptomatic patients, untreated M. genitalium infection is a risk for complications.

Mycoplasma hominis

M. Hominis can cause complications such as epididymitis or inflammation of the testicles, pelvic inflammatory disease, cervicitis, endometriosis, urethritis, and extra-genital infections such as septic arthritis and pneumonia.

Ureaplasma

Ureaplasma can cause complications such as urethritis, prostatitis or inflammation of the prostate gland, endometriosis or inflammation of the lining of the womb, kidney stones, inflammation of kidneys, cervicitis, and pelvic inflammatory disease. Complications often coincide with severe pelvic pain. 

How can transmission of genital mycoplasma be prevented?

Mycoplasma genitalium, Mycoplasma hominis, and Ureaplasma are mycoplasmas that can be transmitted through genital to genital contact as well as genital to oral contact, although genital to oral is less common. 

What treatments are available for those who have contracted genital mycoplasma?

Genital mycoplasmas can be treated through various antibiotics. There is potential risk of resistance to one of the antibiotics used in treatment called azithromycin. In patients who have been previously treated for chlamydia, azithromycin resistance could be a potential barrier to treatment. Current federal standards do not suggest the testing or treatment of asymptomatic individuals.