Infections from various microorganisms can occur in the urogenital tract of men and women. Ureaplasma infection is also sexually transmitted. This infectious disease affects the urogenital system of men and women. It is rarely seen in adults who are not yet sexually active.
The community of microorganisms that are present in the urethra and live without harming the individual leads to the formation of the usual microbial flora of the urethra. The usual microbial flora is divided into two subcategories as permanent and temporary flora. Microorganisms belonging to the permanent flora are usually harmless and contribute to the protection of the normal tissue of the body, including the genital system. When they are moved to a tissue different from the body structure for a certain reason, they gain a disturbing feature in that structure. Permanent microorganisms may sometimes disappear or diminish under the influence of various factors; in this case, the microorganisms are replaced by temporary flora, which also have disease-causing properties. Infections occurring in the urogenital system can be caused by the usual flora of the sick person, as well as infections caused by microorganisms through sexuality in sexually active women and men.
Who gets Ureaplasma?
Ureaplasma urealiticum is a type of bacteria belonging to the mycoplasma family.
The most important feature that distinguishes the mycoplasma family of bacteria, including the ureaplasma bacteria, from other bacteria is the absence of a cell wall. Despite the absence of a cell wall, ureaplasma has the ability to multiply and survive outside the living cell. Therefore, these bacteria are also known as opportunistic pathogens. Ureaplasma is found in the normal flora of the urogenital tract of men and women. However, sometimes ureaplasma bacteria can reproduce more quickly than necessary and cause various disorders. Women are more at risk from ureaplasma than men. In cases where ureaplasma grows more than usual, there is a 60-70% risk of infection in women and 10-20% in men. In addition, the risk of transmission of ureaplasma is very high. The absence of a cell wall also makes it resistant to certain types of antibiotics. Therefore, it becomes very important to follow appropriate treatment protocols in the treatment of infections caused by mycoplasma bacteria family.
How is Ureaplasma Transmitted?
It is stated that Ureaplasma infection is generally transmitted sexually. Direct contact between individuals who carry the bacteria is the most common way of passing the bacteria. In addition, oral contact with the sexual part can lead to the transmission of the bacteria. Contact with the genitals with unclean hands can also lead to the transmission of the bacteria. Together with these, ureaplasma bacteria can be passed from mother to baby during childbirth. For most sexually transmitted diseases, body fluids must come into contact with each other. Some types of bacteria and viruses can also be passed through the blood. These bacteria and viruses have little chance of survival in the air or outside living cells. However, there is a rare danger of transmission from common areas such as toilets, epilation areas, pools. Questions such as whether ureaplasma is transmitted from the toilet, which is often wondered, and how ureaplasma is transmitted are thus answered.
Ureaplasma Symptoms
Ureaplasma infection is more difficult to diagnose than many other infectious conditions. This is because these microplasms are difficult to see with the help of specific microscopes. However, with the current developments in the field of infectious diseases and clinical microbiology, ureaplasma culture, which is used in the diagnosis of infection, provides important information to specialist doctors for the diagnosis of the disease. The ureaplasma test is performed in women by taking a sample from the genital area with a technique similar to a smear test . In men, semen analysis or antibiogram tests can be used to check for ureaplasma. Ureaplasma infection is generally insidious. It usually has no specific symptoms. However, there are some people who experience symptoms caused by the infection. Ureaplasma symptoms are as follows;
The first of the complaints of sick people is the arrival of foul-smelling vaginal discharge. Scientific studies show that when the results of the ureaplasma culture test of women consulting the clinics with vaginal discharge complaints are examined, approximately 37.5% of the ureaplasma positive results are positive. The discharge in these women is generally malodorous. The discharge seen in ureaplasma is white, yellow or green. In general, the discharge is liquid. If the vaginal discharge does not go away, ureaplasma can be considered.
In the presence of ureaplasma in women and men, groin pains are observed.
Burning and pain when urinating can be symptoms of ureaplasma.
In male and female infertility (infertility) of unknown cause, ureaplasma infection may be suspected. In men whose leukocyte (white blood cell) counts are higher than usual when the semen is examined , it is recommended that ureaplasma be examined with a semen analysis antibiogram test . In women, in general, microorganisms in the genital area cannot ascend upwards towards the uterus. In rare cases, these microorganisms can multiply intensively and come to the uterus and tubes, damaging these organs and causing infertility.
In case of intense ureaplasma, the placenta can be damaged during pregnancy. For this reason, it is necessary to investigate whether ureaplasma is present in expectant mothers who experience repeated infant losses.
In some cases, ureaplasma infection also affects the kidneys. This can cause pain in the kidneys and back. Ureaplasma bacteria can cause itching and burning in the genital area. If it spreads to the prostate, inflammation of the prostate, called prostatitis, can be seen.
In men, it can rarely cause pain and tenderness in the testicles.
Sexual intercourse that causes pain is considered one of the symptoms of ureaplasma infection.
Ureaplasma Treatment
In general, ureaplasma infection may be recognized late because it does not cause symptoms in the early stages, which can make it difficult to treat. Ureaplasma infection can be more difficult to treat than infectious conditions such as fungal infections . This is mainly because ureaplasma bacteria lack a cell wall. This makes the bacteria strong against some antibiotics. Therefore, it is very important that the infection is diagnosed and treated by specialists. The risk of ureaplasma infection, especially in women who plan to become mothers, should be investigated before pregnancy and the infection should be eliminated first with appropriate treatment. Otherwise, the infection can harm the baby during pregnancy.
Ureaplasma in Pregnancy
According to ongoing research, untreated ureaplasma can lead to premature birth and low birth weight babies. In addition, scientific studies show that infants of mothers who carry sexually transmitted infections such as ureaplasma may have physical and mental developmental retardation. Infant losses during pregnancy are also known to be linked to ureaplasma. Therefore, it is recommended that expectant mothers who are planning a pregnancy or who need treatment to have a baby should first be screened for sexually transmitted diseases. Although treatment of ureaplasma infection is a little more difficult, it can be treated with antibiotics that act on the ureaplasma bacteria. Treatment should involve both partners.