Urethritis in men.

This presentation provides an overview of urethritis in men, touching on its diagnosis, clinical manifestations, epidemiology, and treatment. In men presenting with signs and symptoms of urethritis, the importance of obtaining information as to the patient's sexual contacts is stressed. Methods for obtaining smears and culture samples are discussed, with special reference to the importance of differentiating between gonococcal and nongonococcal urethritis (NGU). The entity postgonococcal urethritis (PGU) in most instances represents cases of NGU, coincidentally acquired with gonorrhea. NGU accounts for more than half of cases of urethritis in men in several countries. Chlamydia trachomatis is isolated significantly more often in men with NGU than in control groups.