How Do You Get Mycoplasma Genitalium Causes Risk?

Mycoplasma genitalium is a sexually transmitted infection that spreads through unprotected vaginal and anal sex. It is caused by a tiny bacterium that infects the urethra, cervix, and reproductive tract. Anyone who is sexually active can get it, and using condoms consistently is the most effective way to reduce your risk.

How Do You Get Mycoplasma Genitalium Causes Risk?

Mycoplasma genitalium, often called Mgen, is passed from one person to another through sexual contact. The bacterium lives in the genital and urinary tracts. It spreads when infected mucus membranes touch each other during sex.

Vaginal sex is the most common way it spreads. Anal sex can also transmit it. Oral sex is less likely to spread it, but some research suggests it is possible. You cannot get Mgen from toilet seats, towels, swimming pools, or casual contact. It does not live outside the body for long.

The risk is highest for people with new or multiple sexual partners. People who do not use condoms consistently have a higher chance of infection. Having another sexually transmitted infection also increases your risk because it can make the tissue more vulnerable.

What Are the Symptoms of Mycoplasma Genitalium?

Many people with Mgen have no symptoms at all. This makes it easy to pass the infection to others without knowing. When symptoms do appear, they are often mild and easy to mistake for other conditions.

In women, the most common symptom is unusual discharge from the vagina. Some women experience pain during sex or bleeding after sex. Pain or a burning feeling during urination can also occur. Lower abdominal pain is possible but less common.

In men, symptoms include a thin, clear or white discharge from the penis. Men may also feel a burning sensation when urinating. Some men notice irritation or discomfort inside the penis. These symptoms can come and go, which makes the infection easy to ignore.

Symptoms usually appear 1 to 3 weeks after exposure. But they can take much longer to show up, or never show up at all. If you have any of these symptoms, especially after sex with a new partner, get tested.

How Is Mycoplasma Genitalium Diagnosed?

Mycoplasma genitalium is not part of a standard STI screening. Most routine tests check for chlamydia, gonorrhea, and syphilis. You have to ask for an Mgen test specifically.

The test uses a urine sample or a swab from the cervix or urethra. The sample is analyzed using a method called nucleic acid amplification test, or NAAT. This test detects the genetic material of the bacterium. It is highly accurate.

You should ask for Mgen testing if you have symptoms that suggest an infection but test negative for chlamydia and gonorrhea. You should also consider testing if you have a partner who tested positive for Mgen. Testing is especially important if you are pregnant or planning to become pregnant.

What Complications Can Mycoplasma Genitalium Cause?

Untreated Mgen can cause serious health problems over time. The bacterium can move from the lower genital tract into the upper reproductive organs. This is more common in women but can affect men too.

In women, untreated Mgen can lead to pelvic inflammatory disease, or PID. PID is an infection of the uterus, fallopian tubes, and ovaries. It can cause chronic pelvic pain and scarring of the fallopian tubes. This scarring can make it difficult to get pregnant. It also increases the risk of ectopic pregnancy, a life-threatening condition where the embryo implants outside the uterus.

In men, Mgen can cause inflammation of the urethra, a condition called urethritis. In rare cases, the infection can spread to the epididymis, the tube that carries sperm. This can cause pain and swelling in the testicles. Some research suggests Mgen may affect sperm quality, but more studies are needed to confirm this.

Both men and women with untreated Mgen are more likely to acquire other sexually transmitted infections. The inflammation caused by Mgen makes it easier for HIV and other infections to enter the body.

How Is Mycoplasma Genitalium Treated?

Mycoplasma genitalium requires specific antibiotics. It is not treated with the same drugs used for chlamydia or gonorrhea. The bacterium has no cell wall, which makes many common antibiotics useless against it.

The treatment usually involves two stages. The first stage uses an antibiotic called doxycycline. This drug weakens the bacterium but does not always eliminate it completely. The second stage uses a different antibiotic, usually azithromycin or moxifloxacin. This two-step approach is more effective than a single drug.

Antibiotic resistance is a growing problem with Mgen. The bacterium has developed resistance to several drugs that were once effective. This is why it is so important to take the full course of antibiotics exactly as prescribed. Finishing the medication even if symptoms disappear is critical.

Your sexual partner or partners need treatment too, even if they have no symptoms. If only one person is treated, the infection will likely pass back and forth. You should avoid sex until both you and your partner have completed treatment and tested negative.

A test of cure is recommended 3 to 4 weeks after finishing antibiotics. This confirms the infection is gone. If the first treatment fails, a different antibiotic will be prescribed based on resistance testing.

How Can You Prevent Mycoplasma Genitalium?

Prevention is straightforward. Use condoms correctly every time you have vaginal or anal sex. Condoms are highly effective at preventing Mgen transmission because the bacterium lives in fluids and on mucus membranes that the condom covers.

Limit your number of sexual partners. Every new partner introduces a new risk of exposure. If you are in a mutually monogamous relationship where both partners have tested negative, your risk is very low.

Talk openly with your partners about STI testing. Ask when they were last tested and what they were tested for. Remember that many people with Mgen have no symptoms, so a clean bill of health based on symptoms alone means nothing.

Get tested regularly if you have multiple partners. There is no vaccine for Mgen. Regular testing is the only way to catch an asymptomatic infection early and prevent complications.

What Should You Do If You Think You Have Mycoplasma Genitalium?

See a healthcare provider as soon as possible. Do not try to treat the infection yourself with over-the-counter products or antibiotics from other sources. Taking the wrong antibiotic can make the infection worse and increase resistance.

Tell your provider about your symptoms and any recent sexual activity. Be specific about when symptoms started. Ask specifically for Mgen testing if you have symptoms that match this infection.

If you test positive, inform your recent sexual partners. This can be uncomfortable, but it is necessary to stop the spread. Many health departments offer partner notification services that can do this anonymously if you prefer.

Do not have sex until you have completed treatment and received a negative test result. This includes oral sex. The infection can still be passed even when symptoms are gone.