Ureaplasma urealyticum is most commonly associated with urinary tract infections and can be associated with sexually transmitted infections.
Urinary tract infections: Ureaplasma urealyticum is a fastidious organism commonly found in the genitourinary tract and is associated with urethritis, prostatitis, and occasionally UTIs, especially in immunocompromised or pregnant patients. It lacks a cell wall, making it undetectable by Gram stain and resistant to β-lactam antibiotics. Due to these limitations in traditional testing, PCR is essential for accurate detection (Valentine-King & Brown 2017, Abankwa et al. 2024).
Sexually transmitted infections: Ureaplasma urealyticum has been associated with non-gonococcal urethritis in men and adverse reproductive outcomes, although its pathogenic role is still debated. Including it in STI panels helps identify atypical causes of persistent urethritis not detected by standard screening (Horner et al. 2018, Workowski et al. 2021).
Valentine-King MA, Brown MB. Antibacterial Resistance in Ureaplasma Species and Mycoplasma hominis Isolates from Urine Cultures in College-Aged Females. Antimicrob Agents Chemother. 2017 Sep 22;61(10):e01104-17. doi: 10.1128/AAC.01104-17. PMID: 28827422; PMCID: PMC5610494.
Abankwa A, Sansone S, Aligbe O, Hickner A, Segal S. The Role of Ureaplasma and Mycoplasma Species in Recurrent Lower Urinary Tract Infection in Females: A Scoping Review. Reprod Sci. 2024 Jul;31(7):1771-1780. doi: 10.1007/s43032-024-01513-y. Epub 2024 Mar 20. PMID: 38509400.
Horner, P., Donders, G., Cusini, M., Gomberg, M., Jensen, J. S., & Unemo, M. (2018). Should we be testing for urogenital Mycoplasma hominis, Ureaplasma parvum and Ureaplasma urealyticum in men and women? – a position statement from the European STI Guidelines Editorial Board. Journal of the European Academy of Dermatology and Venereology : JEADV, 32(11), 1845–1851.
Workowski, K. A., Bachmann, L. H., Chan, P. A., Johnston, C. M., Muzny, C. A., Park I., Reno, H., Jonathan M. Zenilman J.M.,Bolan, G. A. (2021). Sexually transmitted infections treatment guidelines, 2021. MMWR Recommendations and Reports, 70(4), 1–187.
