Microbiology
A Ureaplasm. reaplasma has 14 serotypes divided into two groups/biovars-Ureaplasma parvum and Ureaplasma urealyticum. There are others in dogs, cats and other animals.
Epidemiologic Risks
A sexually transmitted disease.
Part of normal genital flora with a colonization rate of 40-80%.
PCR best test.
Syndromes
Urethritis, epididymitis and prostatitis.
Sterile pyuria. PID? BV? Perhaps mostly biovar 2's.
Can cause invasive disease in those with humoral immunodeficiency, either hypogammaglobulinemia or iatrogenic (anti-CD20 therapy) (PubMed).
Ureaplasma urealyticum can split urea to make ammonia. In immunoincompetent patients infection can lead to hyperammonemia with normal liver function (PubMed).
Treatment
Doxycycline 100 mg bid x 7 days; 10% of Ureaplasmas are resistant to tetracyclines, erythromycin 500 mg qid x 7 days.
In urine samples, doxycycline is most reliable (PubMed).
OR
macrolides such a 1 gm azithromycin.
OR
quinolones, although resistance to EES and ciprofloxacin (35%) is increasing (PubMed).
Notes
Curious Cases
Relevant links to my Medscape blog
Last Update: 10/18/19.