IN PRACTICE Symptoms of non-gonococcal urethritis in heterosexual men: a case control study

Objective: To determine microbial and behavioural factors contributing to non-gonococcal urethral symptoms in men. Methods: Case-control study of heterosexual men with non-gonococcal urethral symptoms (cases) and without urethral symptoms (controls) attending Melbourne Sexual Health Centre, Australia. Sexual behaviour and condom use were measured by questionnaire. First stream urine was tested for potential pathogens: Chlamydia trachomatis (ligase chain reaction), Mycoplasma genitalium (polymerase chain reac-tion, PCR), Ureaplasma urealyticum (culture and PCR), and Streptococcus spp, Gardnerella vaginalis, and Haemophilus species (culture). Urethral smears from cases were examined for polymorphonuclear leucocytes. Results: 80 cases and 79 controls were recruited over 4 months in 2002–3. 49 cases (61%) had urethritis b