Introduction:
The urethra is a small tubular structure that carries urine and semen (in men) out of the body. Urethral discharge is any discharge apart from urine or semen from the urethra. The discharge can be of different colors and odors.
What Is a Urethral Discharge Culture?
A urethral discharge culture is a diagnostic test to identify certain infections in the urethra or the genital tract, especially for men and boys. This test is also known as a culture of urethral discharge, a genital exudate culture, culture-genital discharge or exudate, or urethritis- culture.
What Is Urethral Discharge?
Urethral discharge is one of the most common symptoms of STDs (sexually transmitted diseases). It occurs due to urethritis or inflammation of the urethra and might cause pus or mucus depending upon the cause of the irritation. It is classified into two types:
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Gonococcal Urethritis (GU) - This occurs due to Neisseria gonorrhoeae.
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Non-gonococcal Urethritis (NGU) - This is further divided into chlamydial urethritis and non-chlamydial non-gonococcal urethritis (NCNGU).
Why Is Urethral Discharge Culture Done?
Urethral discharge culture is advised if a person has signs and symptoms of lower urinary tract infection, which include:
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Pain while passing urine.
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Frequent urination.
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Discharge from the urethra.
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Redness or swelling of the urethra.
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Inflammation of the testicles.
The culture tests are done to detect the presence of bacterial or fungal organisms in the urethra. This test can also see sexually transmitted diseases (STDs) such as gonorrhea and chlamydia.
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Gonorrhea - This is a common sexually transmitted disease that is caused by the bacteria gonorrhea. It affects the mucous membrane of the reproductive system, like the cervix, uterus, fallopian tubes, and urethra. Gonorrhea commonly occurs in the genital areas, throat, or anus.
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Chlamydia - Chlamydia is the most common sexually transmitted bacterial infection. It can cause both urethra and rectum inflammation in men and women.
The symptoms of both gonorrhea and chlamydia infections in the urethra of men include:
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Pain while passing urine.
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Pus discharge from the penis tip.
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Pain or swelling in the testicles.
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Pain in the rectum.
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Discharge pus and blood from the rectum (part of the large intestine closest to the anal opening).
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Pain while having sex.
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Pain in the lower abdomen.
What Causes Urethritis?
Urethral discharge culture test can detect the following organisms:
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M Genitalium - The organism was first found as a cause of non-gonococcal urethritis in 1981. It is challenging to grow in the culture. Some investigations have found that M genitalium is responsible for fifteen to twenty-five percent of cases of non-gonococcal urethritis (inflammation of the urethra). Finding the exact relationship between this organism and other urethral pathogens is difficult. Therefore, diagnosing M. genitalium infection is limited to research and studies.
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Herpes Simplex Virus - Around sixty percent of men with herpes simplex infection have non-gonococcal urethritis. Genital herpes symptoms resolve within five to seven days, and the condition gets treated in the course of treating other organisms. Severe pain during the passing of urine (dysuria) and herpes infection is generally suspected.
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M Hominis and U urealyticum - These microbial species have been associated with urethritis for over thirty years. Both of these organisms are related to sexual activity and are isolated from people with urethritis. Whether these species are indeed found in the urethra remains to be found out.
How Is the Urethral Discharge Culture Done?
The test is performed in the laboratory. One is advised not to pass urine one hour before the test. Urine might wash away the pathogens that are being tested for. At first, the nurse will clean the tip of the penis where the urethra is located with a sterile swab. Then a sterile cotton swab is inserted around three-quarters of an inch into the urethra. The swab is rotated to accumulate a good amount of the discharge sample. This process takes little time, and it might be uncomfortable or painful. The collected discharge sample is then sent to a laboratory and put into a culture. The culture is a special dish where the sample is placed and kept for the microbial colonies to grow. The culture growth is examined under a microscope to check for microbial growth. The test result will be out within a few days.
What Do the Test Results of Urethral Discharge Culture Mean?
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A normal or negative result suggests no growth of any microbes in the culture. This means that there is no infection.
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A positive culture result suggests that an abnormal growth was detected in the culture test. This means that there is an infection present in the genital tract. Gonorrhea and chlamydia infections are the most common causes.
What Are the Risks Associated with the Urethral Discharge Culture?
The urethral discharge culture is a simple procedure that can be carried out efficiently. However, though rarely, certain risks are associated with it:
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Infection.
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Bleeding.
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Fainting - This can occur when a cotton swab is introduced into the urethra. Fainting usually happens because of the vagus nerve stimulation (a pair of nerves supplying the heart, lungs, upper digestive tract, and other organs of the chest and abdomen) while taking the sample.
How To Prevent Urethral Discharge?
Some people can be asymptomatic even after carrying these organisms. However, such individuals can still transmit one of the sexually transmitted infection-causing bacteria to the other sexual partner. Recommendations to prevent developing urethral discharge include:
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Periodic screening of sexually active men and women younger than twenty-five years of age.
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Men who have sex with men (MSM) should also undergo routine check-ups.
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Check-ups of people having multiple sexual partners.
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Protecting sex with the help of condoms or any other barrier method can prevent transmitting STDs.
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Once diagnosed with the infectious disease, the sexual partners should also be notified and tested.
Conclusion:
A urethral discharge culture is a diagnostic test to detect several disease-causing organisms in abnormal urethral discharge. The test is frequently performed to diagnose sexually transmitted diseases (STDs). A urethral discharge culture is a simple test to detect the presence of infections in the urinary tract. The procedure is simple but a little uncomfortable or painful. However, the results are obtained within a few days. In case the result tests positive, the treatment can begin immediately.
