Urethritis in Men Linked to Oral Sex

Yahoo Healthday ^ | 1/6/06 | Randy Dotinga

[Dr. Scarpetta]

New research suggests that the gonorrhea-like condition known as urethritis, perhaps the most common sexually transmitted disease, can spread to men when they're on the receiving end of fellatio.

"This one really nails it down," said Dr. Hunter Handsfield, a professor of medicine at the University of Washington who wrote a commentary about the findings.

Urethritis, a condition related to a number of health problems, such as urinary tract infections and some sexually transmitted diseases, causes inflammation of the urethra.

It can lead to genital discharge, burning during urination and redness and swelling at the tip of the penis, said Dr. Jeffrey D. Klausner, director of STD Prevention and Control Services with the San Francisco Department of Public Health. The symptoms "usually signify an infection due to a germ, like a bacteria or virus," he said.

Urethritis usually goes away on its own or is easily treated with antibiotics, Klausner said. But in some cases, it can result in serious complications, including permanent damage to the urethra in both men and women, especially if it's not treated.

According to Handsfield, urethritis brings more men to sexually transmitted disease clinics in the United States than any other condition or disease, and it may be the most common STD among both men and women.

In the new study, Australian researchers recruited 329 men with urethritis symptoms that weren't related to gonorrhea and 307 healthy men. The researchers tested the men and asked them about their sexual habits.

About five percent of the cases were directly related to germs from the mouth, including adenoviruses and a form of herpes. The researchers also found that urethritis without an apparent cause was more common in men who were on the receiving end of oral sex from their female or male partners.

The study findings appear in the Dec. 28 online edition of the Journal of Infectious Diseases.

The research points to the potential influence of normally innocuous germs in the mouth, Handsfield said. "It suggests that some of these cases might be due to bacteria that are entirely normal when they're in the mouth but cause inflammation in the urethra."

This also suggests that men shouldn't assume that getting a case of urethritis from a partner is a sign that she or he has been unfaithful, Handsfield said. The urethritis may have simply come from normal mouth germs.

By contrast, there's no evidence that urethritis is easily passed to women during cunnilingus, Handsfield said. In fact, he said, cunnilingus seems to be safer when it comes to STD transmission than fellatio.

What does the urethritis finding mean for sexually active men? "Men who receive oral sex need to be concerned about STDs and talk to their doctor about what screening tests might be appropriate or how to reduce their risk for getting infections," Klausner said.

[AlbionGirl]

According to Handsfield, urethritis brings more men to sexually transmitted disease clinics in the United States than any other condition or disease, and it may be the most common STD among both men and women.

Well, perhaps when one of the great teaching hospitals in the U.S. gets a grip on this affliction, they'll dedicate the treatment wing to President Clinton who may not know what 'is', is, but evidently these treatment seekers do.

[najida]

ROFLMAO!

[theFIRMbss]

Why does it hurt when I pee?
Why does it hurt when I pee?
I don't want no doctor
To stick no needle in me
Why does it hurt when I pee?

I got it from the toilet seat
I got it from the toilet seat
It jumped right up
'N' grabbed my meat
Got it from the toilet seat

My balls feel like a pair of maracas
My balls feel like a pair of maracas
Oh God I probably got the Gon-o-ka-ka-khackus!
My balls feel like a pair of maracas

Ai-ee-ai-ee-ahhhh!

Why does it...
Why does it...
Why does it...
Why does it hurt...
When...
I...
Peeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee?

[Feiny]

Bwhahahaha!

[grey_whiskers]

Not only that, but we're good at convincing you we really like to watch sports in the beginning too.

At the risk of prompting a flamefest, why do gals ever see fit to change the initial impression?

You'd keep guys very happy ! :-)

Full Disclosure: I'm quite married, thank you. No offer, nor solicitation of an offer is made. Not even by prospectus.

Cheers!

[jennyjenny]

Mine wasn't THAT advanced.

I'd expect it's hard to pull off for very long,lol. I'm kind of an NFL nut as far as females go. I grew up with 3 older brothers. I make no other plans on Sunday other than to watch football and then, I have my laptop going so I can follow the games on ESPN that I don't get on TV. So, I actually do like football.

[jennyjenny]

See post#86. I posted that before I read your comment to me. I was kidding about the football.

I can't speak for any other females out there, but I hope I haven't changed much from my husband's initial impression of me. If I have, I certainly didn't conspire to do so in an effort to "snag" him. He, however did lead me believe he liked going to visit my parents and really liked my cat when we first started dating. :)

[j_tull]

"I think it'll break 100, but not much longer than that. " He said, in post 69.

[j_tull]

RIP, FZ

[johnny7]

Well... you're an anomaly. You don't happen to like The Three Stooges... do you?

[tet68]

They say that a dog's mouth is cleaner than a human's mouth

Well that part is true, dogs don't get cavities, something
in their saliva.

So if you don't want cavities, just gargle with dog saliva.

[grey_whiskers]

Heh heh...he said "69"...heh heh.

[Mrs. Don-o]

"If you're going to do it, do it kosher. No pork?"

Get married, make nice, make love. And be nice to the babies when they come. I.e., Boinking without oinking.

[Mrs. Don-o]

The whole problem with gay sex is that they don't have a kosher place to stick it.

[grey_whiskers]

and really liked my cat when we first started dating. :)

[Salacious pun toned down to:] Well, I'm sure he still loves your...cat.

Full Disclosure: I'm a Cat Person too--Click on my "About" page... :-)

[Richard Kimball]

Four to go.

[bannie]

Never "kiss and tell."

[bannie]

drinkling a beer

hahaha! Good to see that you're already cleared out.

[Gordongekko909]

Almost there...

[armydawg1]

In most cases, giving is better than receiving....not true in this case. Although there is much to be said for giving here.