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Should we routinely test for Mycoplasma genitalium when testing for other sexually transmitted infections?
Author(s) -
Stewart James D,
Webb Brooke,
Francis Michelle,
Graham Maryza,
Korman Tony M
Publication year - 2020
Publication title -
medical journal of australia
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.904
H-Index - 131
eISSN - 1326-5377
pISSN - 0025-729X
DOI - 10.5694/mja2.50399
Subject(s) - mycoplasma genitalium , medicine , chlamydia trachomatis , gynecology , cervicitis , pelvic inflammatory disease , urethritis , asymptomatic , gonorrhea , obstetrics , neisseria gonorrhoeae , chlamydia , sexually transmitted disease , immunology , syphilis , human immunodeficiency virus (hiv) , biology , microbiology and biotechnology
Mycoplasma genitalium is a sexually transmitted bacterium that was initially identified as a cause of nongonococcal urethritis in men.1 Associations with other genitourinary tract syndromes, including cervicitis and pelvic inflammatory disease in women, are now recognised, albeit with limited understanding of the natural history of infection.1,2 However, the significance of M. genitalium in asymptomatic individuals, including pregnant women, is uncertain. Local and international guidelines advise testing only symptomatic patients unless an asymptomatic person has had sexual contact with someone infected with M. genitalium or is to have genitourinary tract surgery that breaches the cervical barrier.3–5 We report the first data on the epidemiology of M. genitalium in an Australian hospital, including in pregnant women, and discuss the difficulties associated with testing asymptomatic patients for M. genitalium.