Diagnostic Tests for Non-Specific Urethritis
Non-Specific Urethritis: Diagnostic Tests
The list of diagnostic tests
mentioned in various sources as
used in the diagnosis of Non-Specific Urethritis
includes:
Non-Specific Urethritis Tests: Book Excerpts
Home Diagnostic Testing
These home medical tests may be relevant to Non-Specific Urethritis:
- Home STD Testing
- Bladder & Urinary Health: Home Testing:
- Sexuality & Libido: Home Testing:
- Liver Health & Hepatitis: Home Testing
- Kidney Health: Home Testing:
Non-Specific Urethritis Diagnosis: Book Excerpts
Diagnostic Tests for Non-Specific Urethritis: Online Medical Books
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Review excerpts from medical books online, free, without registration,
for more information about the diagnostic tests for Non-Specific Urethritis.
Urethral discharge:
History and physical examination
(Handbook of Signs & Symptoms (Third Edition))
Ask the patient when he first noticed the discharge, and have him describe its color, consistency, and quantity. Does he experience pain or burning on urination? Does he have difficulty initiating a urine stream? Does he experience urinary frequency? Ask the patient about other associated signs and symptoms, such as fever, chills, and perineal fullness. Explore his history for prostate problems, sexually transmitted disease, or urinary tract infection. Ask the patient if he has had recent sexual contacts or a new sexual partner.
Inspect the patient’s urethral meatus for inflammation and swelling. Using proper technique, obtain a culture specimen. (See Collecting a urethral discharge specimen.) Then obtain a urine sample for urinalysis, culture, and possibly a three-glass urine sample. (See Performing the three-glass urine test, page 608.) In the male patient, the prostate gland may have to be palpated.
» READ BOOK EXCERPT ONLINE »
Source: Handbook of Signs & Symptoms (Third Edition), 2006
Urethral discharge:
History and physical examination
(Professional Guide to Signs & Symptoms (Fifth Edition))
Ask the patient when he first noticed the discharge, and have him describe its color, consistency, and quantity. Does he experience pain or burning on urination? Does he have difficulty initiating a urine stream? Does he experience urinary frequency? Ask the patient about other associated signs and symptoms, such as fever, chills, and perineal fullness. Explore his history for prostate problems, sexually transmitted disease, or urinary tract infection. Ask the patient if he has had recent sexual contacts or a new sexual partner.
Inspect the patient’s urethral meatus for inflammation and swelling. Using proper technique, obtain a culture specimen. (See Collecting a urethral discharge specimen, page 778.) Then obtain a urine specimen for urinalysis, culture and, possibly,, a three-glass urine test. (See How to perform the three-glass urine test.) Palpation of the male patient’s prostate gland may be necessary.
» READ BOOK EXCERPT ONLINE »
Source: Professional Guide to Signs & Symptoms (Fifth Edition), 2006
Urethral Discharge:
Physical examination
(The 10-Minute Diagnosis Manual: Symptoms and Signs in the Time-Limited Encounter)
A. Focused physical examination (PE) should include vital signs, and urologic and rectal examination. In men, this should include examination of the penis, perimeatal region (for evidence of erythema), urethral meatus, scrotum, testicles, epididymis, prostate, and perianal and inguinal region. Stains present on the patient’s underwear may indicate the characteristics of the discharge, which is particularly useful in a patient who has urinated shortly before examination. Recent micturition can eliminate much inflammatory discharge. Sometimes it is necessary to examine the patient in the morning before voiding to enhance the diagnosis. Perform a complete gynecologic and urologic examination in women.
B. Abdomen. Completely examine the abdomen to rule out intraabdominal pathology, including masses and inflammation, obstruction, or distention of organs.
C. Additional physical examination should include the skin and other systems, as needed. If a patient is suspected of gonococcal infection, it may be essential to check the patient’s joints, skin, throat, eye and other organs.
Testing
A. UD sample collection. Proper collection and handling of UD sample is essential for the diagnosis. When the discharge is not spontaneous, the urethra should be gently stripped. This is best accomplished by grasping the penis firmly between the thumb and forefinger with the thumb pressing on the ventral surface. Then move the hand distally, compressing the urethra. This maneuver may express a small amount of discharge. The urethral meatus can be gently spread and if no urethral discharge is expressed, a calcium-alginate urethral (or nasopharyngeal) swab should be inserted at least 2 cm into the urethra and the discharge collected. The use of cotton-tipped swabs is contraindicated because their large size makes the insertion extremely uncomfortable and the cotton fibers can inhibit the growth of certain fastidious organisms (4).
B. Clinical laboratory investigations
1. UD Gram’s stain. The test involves staining the UD with Gram’s stain and examining it under a microscope. The presence of polymorphs with intracellular diplococci is diagnostic of GC. Polymorphs without the intracellular diplococci are suggestive of NGC disease. Few or no polymorphs are suggestive of other causes. The Gram’s stain is quite accurate for men but it is not very sensitive for women (50%).
2. UD culture is essential to identify specific organisms. Other useful tests are:
a. Detection of bacterial DNA by polymerase chain reaction (PCR)
b. DNA probes
c. Direct monoclonal testing and enzyme-linked assays. These tests have a high sensitivity and specificity. Cultures of throat, rectum, and sometimes conjunctivae may be required to establish the diagnosis.
3. UD wet preparation is done to establish the diagnosis of trichomoniasis, candidiasis, and some viral and bacterial infections.
4. Urine analysis and urine cultures are essential for the diagnosis of urinary infections. Collect the urine specimen [as described by Stamey (5)] with four sterile containers (before and after prostatic massage), which is useful to identify the site of infection in men.
5. Urinary leukocyte esterase is a useful screening test for chlamydial and GC infections in asymptomatic men. The usefulness of other neutrophil enzyme (elastace, myeloperoxidase) studies of urine have been reported.
6. Blood studies, including a complete blood count, serum chemistry profile, serologic test for syphilis, blood test for human immunodeficiency virus infection, and immunologic studies, may be required in an appropriate clinical setting.
C. Diagnostic imaging. Urethrogram, urologic diagnostic studies, and pelvic, vaginal, and rectal ultrasound studies are indicated in some clinical conditions.
D. Diagnostic procedures. Children and elderly patients may need to be examined under anesthesia to evaluate UD. Anoscopy is done for patients who have had anal intercourse or for those with anal and rectal symptoms. Cystourethroscopy and laparoscopy are also useful in certain conditions.
Diagnostic assessment
A. Special concerns. Neisseria gonorrhoeae and C. trachomatis infections are reportable to State Health Departments and a specific diagnosis is essential. UD secondary to STD involves many psychosocial and medicolegal implications to the patient, his or her partner, their families, and society. Sexual partners can be traced, tested, and treated. In children with UD, sexual abuse may be suspected. Pregnant women with gonococcal infection or chlamydia can infect the infant at birth (ophthalmia neonatorum).
B. Complications following UD and urethritis. Some of the complications following UD are postgonococcal urethritis, pelvic inflammatory disease (in women) and infertility, perihepatitis, chronic pelvic pain (Chapter 11.3), adhesions of the intraabdominal organs, obstructions in the gastrointestinal and genitourinary tracts, chronic urethritis, periurethral abscess, fistula, prostatitis, epididymitis, orchitis, urethral syndrome, psychosexual problems, and Reiter’s syndrome.
References
1. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. National Center for HIV, STD, and TB Prevention. Sexually Transmitted Disease Surveillance. Atlanta: CDC, 1997.
2. American Social Health Association. Sexually transmitted diseases in America: how many cases and at what cost? Menlo Park, CA: Kaiser Family Foundation, 1998.
3. Institute of Medicine. Committee on Prevention and Control of STD. Eng TR, Butler WT, eds. The hidden epidemic: confronting STD. Washington, DC: National Academy Press, 1997.
4. Williams R, Kreder KJ Jr. Examination of UD and vaginal exudates. In: Tanagho EA, McAninch JW, eds. Smith’s general urology, 14th ed. Norwalk, CT: Appleton & Lange, 1995.
5. Stamey TA. Diagnosis, localization, and classification of urinary infections. In: Stamey TA, ed. Pathogenesis and treatment of urinary tract infections. Baltimore: Williams & Wilkins, 1980:262.
» READ BOOK EXCERPT ONLINE »
Source: The 10-Minute Diagnosis Manual: Symptoms and Signs in the Time-Limited Encounter, 2000
Urethral discharge:
Physical assessment
(Signs & Symptoms: A 2-in-1 Reference for Nurses)
Inspect the patient’s urethral meatus for inflammation and swelling. Using proper technique, obtain a culture specimen. (See Collecting a urethral discharge specimen, page 664.) Then obtain a urine specimen for urinalysis, culture, and possibly a three-glass urine test. (See How to perform the three-glass urine test, page 665.) In the male patient, the prostate gland may have to be palpated.
» READ BOOK EXCERPT ONLINE »
Source: Signs & Symptoms: A 2-in-1 Reference for Nurses, 2007
Urethral discharge:
History and physical examination
(Nursing: Interpreting Signs and Symptoms)
Ask the patient when he first noticed the discharge, and have him describe its color, consistency, and quantity. Does he experience pain or burning on urination? Does he have difficulty initiating a urine stream? Does he experience urinary frequency? Ask the patient about other associated signs and symptoms, such as fever, chills, and perineal fullness. Explore his history for prostate problems, sexually transmitted disease, or urinary tract infection. Ask the patient if he has had recent sexual contacts or a new sexual partner. Obtain a complete drug history.
Inspect the patient's urethral meatus for inflammation and swelling. Using proper technique, obtain a culture specimen. (See Collecting a urethral discharge specimen.) Then obtain a urine specimen for urinalysis, culture, and possibly a three-glass urine specimen. (See Performing the three-glass urine test, page 613.) In the male patient, the prostate gland may have to be palpated.
» READ BOOK EXCERPT ONLINE »
Source: Nursing: Interpreting Signs and Symptoms, 2007
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