[Question #12085] mycoplasma/ureaplasma

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10 months ago
hello doctor Im back again with another question. I went for a test for chlamydia/gonnohrea to ease my anxiety and it was negative. I don’t really have symptoms other than discomfort when peeing sometimes,  but as soon  i get tested, the discomfort goes away until another sexual encounter. So im pretty sure it is anxiety. But, they also tested me for mycoplasma and ureaplasma with a swab and it should come back in a few days. I was tested for mycoplasma in july and it was negative. Im so paranoid that if it comes back positive, what I should do? Do i need to be telling my partner to get tested/treated for either of these? Im seeing mixed reviews online and Im going down a rabbit hole of information. I wanted to ask a professional. If I didn’t have mycoplasma a few months ago because it was negative, is my chance low that it comes back positive this time? I’ve also not heard a lot about ureaplasma and if it is considered a sexually transmitted disease or not. Im super anxious and I wanted to know information on these two bacteria’s. Thank you 
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H. Hunter Handsfield, MD
10 months ago
*Sigh*

Welcome again, but I'm sorry to see yet another question that largely reflects over worry. And especially about normal bacteria that don't matter. 

Presumably you mean Mycoplasma hominis, not M. genitalium (which has its own test). M. hominis, Ureaplasma urealyticum and U. parvum are entirely normal bacteria in the genital tract that rarely if ever cause symptoms or disease, especially in women. They are shared between sex partners and in that sense sexually transmitted (like up to hundreds of other bacteria -- all the normal genital tract bacteria), but no reputable STD expert ever recommends testing for them. Some doctors and many labs don't understand this. If your tests are positive, it will not mean they are causing your symptoms, treatment will not be necessary, and there would be no point in informing or testing your partner. Mycoplasma genitalium is different and requires its own test, but is not known to cause symptoms like yours.

Indeed you're going down a rabbit hole with your online searching. Dr. Google, Dr. Reddit, and the internet in general are not your friends (especially for people who would choose your username!). Anxious persons tend to be drawn to information that inflames their fears. Anybody can write anything they want. The famous statistician Nate Silver wrote a book, "The Signal and the Noise". It it he says (approximate quote) "Give an anxious person a computer with an internet connection in a dark room, and soon he'll believe is cold is the bubonic plague." Sound familiar? If you feel compelled to keep searching about STIs, you'll be safer if you limit yourself to professionally run sites (academic, public health, etc) or at least professionally moderated (like this one).

Probably your pending tests will be negative. But let's have no further comment or discussion until you have the result, if you'd like to tell me. In the meantime I hope this information is helpful.

HHH, MD
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10 months ago
Thanks for your response that made me feel a lot better. A few months ago my test was for mycoplasma genitalium specifically and it was negative. This time around my quest account says it is testing for “mycoplasma/ureaplasma panel” so Im not sure. as you said, i have read it’s common in the genital tract, so why wouldn’t it be positive for everyone? I will update you when the test comes back. im nervous about it for some reason. 
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H. Hunter Handsfield, MD
10 months ago
At any point in time, MH, UP and UU are detected in up to half of all sexually active persons. That a particular bacteria is normal doesn't necessarily mean it is there all the time, and the tests sometimes probably miss them. In any case, there is no reason you to be nervous about this, other than your personality.---
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10 months ago
Hello doctor. I just got my results back. They were negative for mycoplasma genitalium, mycoplasma hominis, and ureaplasma urealyctum. It said they detected ureaplasma parvum. So what does this mean? is this an STI? i know you said i didn’t need to but double checking, Do i need to tell my
partner to get tested and treated? i don’t have any symptoms anymore. what would the treatment be for this anyways? what is the difference between u. urealyctum and u. parvum? 
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H. Hunter Handsfield, MD
10 months ago
As I said above, U. parvum is an entirely normal bacteria in the genital tract. UU and UP are different bacterial species, and although UU has on occasion been responsible for nongonococcal urethritis (NGU) in men, but UU has never been associated with any symptoms or disease in either males or females. No treatment ever is recommended for it. Your partner should be neither tested nor treated. 

This is your third question that largely reflects your inflated fears of STIs in general. I'm aware that much of it was triggered by your previous chlamydia infection, but the fact is that you have not been at significant risk since then and are much more worried than normal. The forum does not permit repeated questions on the same topic or exposure, especially when anxiety driven, and may be deleted with no reply. This policy is based on compassion, not criticism, and is intended to reduce temptations to keep paying for questions with obvious answers. In addition, experience shows that continued answers tend to prolong users' anxieties rather than reducing them. Finally, such questions have little educational value for other users, one of the forum's main purposes. Thanks for your understanding. 

I do hope the discussions, taken together, have been helpful. If concerns remain, please re-read them; probably all the answers you need are there. Best wishes and stay safe.

 

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