SYMPTOMS, CAUSES, TRANSMISSION AND DANGERS

In the female world, genital infections are very common and often difficult to identify except with exams since the symptoms between one type of STD infection and another (despite perhaps changing the etiological agent) can be very similar. Some, like Mycoplasma Lab Tests, may be more serious than others, in some cases due to the risk of permanent consequences affecting the genital system itself.

MyGen and STIs can sometimes represent a problematic event since this bacterium is capable of causing (as an ultimate consequence) also PID, the English acronym for Pelvic Inflammatory Disease.

The STD Lab diagnosis test is often local, conducted through research on the bacterium on a vaginal swab and subsequent culture. The therapy is a pharmacological therapy based on specific antibiotics. In this regard, however, it is necessary to remember that the structure of the bacteria does not have a bacterial wall and remains completely immune to those antibiotics that work on the synthesis of the bacterial wall itself (first of all, the category of penicillins and more generally beta-lactams, such as Augmentin).

WHAT ARE THE CAUSES: 

The pathogen is a bacterium, MGen, of which there are different species.

There are two that can give rise to infections of the genital tract:

Mycoplasma Genitalium: the spread of this bacteria is mostly sexual. It can affect both women and men, who can sometimes have no symptoms. Precisely the absence of symptoms favours unprotected sex, spread, and subsequent colonisation at the vaginal level.

Myco hominis is certainly the most widespread form of the infection. Sometimes it colonises the vaginal environment, and the woman has no symptoms. Usually, a decline in immune defences, a stress condition or, in any case, an underlying systematic pathology can favour the onset of a real symptomatic infection.

The great risk of encountering complications derives mainly from the danger of not being able to identify the presence of the bacterium. The absence of symptoms allows the pathogen the necessary time to create an ideal microenvironment and thus become chronic.

In both cases, it spreads mostly sexually. Therefore, the use of mechanical barriers (represented by the condom) can help reduce the risk of contagion. However, M. Hominis tends to colonise both the genital and urinary tracts in women more often than in men.

SYMPTOMS

Many patients, both men and women, have the presence of the bacterium that can remain completely unacknowledged because it tends not to show any signs of itself.

In other cases, however, the only MGen symptom may be simple vaginal discharge, which can be confused with numerous other vaginal infections, however related to less severe complications (think of simple BV or Gardnerella vaginalis infection).

For Mgen genitalium, the possible symptoms in the case of vaginitis are dyspareunia, pain during sexual sex in the lower genital tract, and vaginal discharge, possibly mixed with blood loss (especially after sex).

In the case of urinary tract STD infection, the picture is typical of urethritis: mucopurulent discharge from the urinary tract (from the penis in the case of men), burning when peeing.

In the case of Mycoplasma hominis, the symptoms are often less invasive but more common and often throughout the day. The main symptoms are simple vaginal discharge.

COMPLICATIONS

As mentioned, unless the woman is in a state of immunosuppression or stress, M. Hominis present in the urinary and genital tracts can rarely cause infection. However, there are two conditions to which you must pay particular attention:

Pregnancy: the risk is the passage of the bacterium from the mother to the fetus. This can lead to some changes in the unborn child. The most often of which is certainly fever at the time of birth. Other issues that can occur in the case of an MGen infection during pregnancy can be an evolution of the gestation itself towards abortion, preterm birth, or even ectopic pregnancy.

Risk of PID (Pelvic Inflammatory Disease). This condition involves a permanent impairment of multiple female genital organs together, leading to the risk of future difficulties in conceiving (infertility). In this case, the symptoms will tend to evolve more or less rapidly, resulting in the presence of pelvic pain, general malaise, pain during sex, possible fever, and lab changes of inflammation indices such as PCR.

DIAGNOSIS

The diagnosis phase is particularly important. Differentiating this infection from similar ones becomes key to a correct therapeutic program. And, above all, to avoiding fearful long-term complications.

The clinic is, as always, the starting point. Through an exam, the gynaecologist will be able to see the presence of vaginal discharge. They can then suspect one pathogenic agent rather than another.

The second step is using instrumental Mycoplasma Lab tests. This allows us to increase the specificity and sensitivity of the diagnosis:

Vaginal swab: this test needs a sample of local material from the vagina. In the lab, this material is cultured on specific media to show the growth of bacterial colonies. Subsequently, this will also allow the execution of an antibiogram. This specific exam is the most suitable antibiotic to treat that specific infection.

Blood exams can look for an increase in inflammatory indices (CRP, Pro-calcitonin, increase in white blood cells).

Pelvic ultrasound is especially useful in pregnancy with suspected infection or in the case of suspected evolution into PID. It can detect some morphological changes in the pelvic organs and the presence of free effusion.

CURE AND REMEDIES

The Mycoplasma Home Test and treatment is pharmacological: Analgesics to relieve pain, especially in the case of evolution towards PID. Antipyretics in case of fever.

Antibiotics are the therapeutic cornerstone of any pathology of bacterial origin. We must remember that the bacteria does not have a cell wall. The best antibiotics to use are Tetracillins or Fluoroquinolones.

Abstinence from further sex is recommended until completely healed. In this regard, remember that often, both partners must be treated with the same therapy because one of the two could be the initial carrier with no STD symptoms.

PREVENTION

Mycoplasma is an STD, and the first form of prevention is barriers during sexual activity; for example, the use of condoms significantly reduces the risk of testing positive and spreading (although not eliminating it).

Correct genital hygiene for both partners is obviously of utmost importance.