Genital Infections — Male

Abstract

Chlamydia trachomatis infections in men, both alone and concurrent with infections by other pathogens, such as Neisseria gonorrhoeae, are important because they are frequent and because infected men are a major reservoir of disease in the community. Fortunately, in contradistinction to the case with chlamydial infections in women, severe complications are unusual in men. Furthermore, most men with symptoms can be treated appropriately without the need to make a specific diagnosis of chlamydial infection. Male genital disease due to serovars of C. trachomatis other than lymphogranuloma venereum (LGV) strains include asymptomatic urethral infection, nongonococcal urethritis, concurrent infection with N. gonorrhoeae, postgonococcal urethritis, epididymitis, symptomatic and asymptomatic proctitis, but not prostatitis. These strains also probably have a role in some cases of Reiter’s syndrome (see chapter on Reiter’s syndrome). LGV serovars produce LGV and proctitis.