STDs are commonly transmitted by direct contact with an infected area of the skin, even if you are using condoms. This happens because STD-causing bacteria and viral germs affect not just one part of the body. This is true for infections such as papilloma, Chlamydia, herpes and syphilis. They can infect any part of the genital area, which is true for both men and women.



NonGonococcal urethritis is an infection of the urethra set off by the same pathogens that cause gonorrhoea. This infection is generally caused by a microbe called Chlamydia. This disease affects men more frequently because it is seldom that a woman's urethra gets infected during an intercourse. Men in the ages of 15-30, who have multiple sex partners, are the ones more at risk of this infection. More often than not, the disease happens because of unprotected sex.

The disease hardly ever happens due to other causes. The infected person may experience some symptoms such as a feeling of burning and extreme discomfort while urinating. Sometimes a small leakage comes from the urethra. The indications typically appear within 1 to 5 weeks from the first exposure. However, some people do not develop any symptom at all.

The infected person can infect other people as soon as he contracts the disease up to the time he gets cured. There is a possibility that disease will recur. This disease can lead to the swelling of the testicles and infection of the prostate if not immediately treated. Use a condom and wash the genital area after intercourse to reduce the possibility of infection. Reducing the number of your sexual partners could also be a great idea to avoid this infection. Australian researchers of the Sexual Health Centre in Melbourne published an article in the Journal of Infectious Disease of their findings that oral sex could also cause nongonococcal urethritis, saying further that this infection can affect both men and women. Some of the consequences of this illness to women are development of inflammatory pelvic disease, sterility and recurring pelvic pains. In majority of the occurrences, the cause of nongonococcal urethritis cannot be established.

In 30-50% of the cases, the Chlamydia micro-organism caused the disease; in 10-20% of the cases, the causative agent is mycoplasma genitalium. Antibiotics have proven to be successful in curing this disease.

On March 2004 and March 2005 the Australian researchers in Melbourne conducted a study wherein men previously infected with nongonococcal urethritis participated in. Additionally 307 volunteers who had no symptoms also participated. They all answered a questionnaire regarding their sexual activities and samples of urine were taken to be tested for pathogens that cause the disease.

Chlamydia infections were a common occurrence both for homosexual and heterosexual men (22% and 15% respectively) and much more prevalent compared to the controlled group. Chlamydia and Mycoplasma genitalium infections most often occur with unprotected vaginal or oral sex. Still, being fully aware of the consequence of unprotected sex can be the best preventive measure for this disease.