What is the Difference Between Gonococcal and Nongonococcal Urethritis

The key difference between gonococcal and nongonococcal urethritis is that gonococcal urethritis occurs due to the sexually transmitted disease gonorrhea caused by Neisseria gonorrhoeae, while nongonococcal urethritis occurs due to the sexually transmitted disease chlamydia caused by Chlamydia trachomatis.

Urethritis is an inflammation of the urethra. It occurs due to infectious or non-infectious conditions. Urethritis can also be caused by sexually transmitted diseases.

CONTENTS

1. Overview and Key Difference
2. What is Gonococcal Urethritis
3. What is Nongonococcal Urethritis
4. Similarities – Gonococcal and Nongonococcal Urethritis
5. Gonococcal vs Nongonococcal Urethritis in Tabular Form
6. Summary – Gonococcal vs Nongonococcal Urethritis

What is Gonococcal Urethritis?

Gonococcal urethritis is an infection in the urethra caused by Gonorrhea. Gonorrhea is a sexually transmitted disease and can also affect the rectum, throat, and eyes. It is a bacterial infection caused by Neisseria gonorrhoeae. Gonococcal urethritis is common in males who experience mucopurulent urethral discharge and dysuria. Symptoms develop after a short incubation period after intercourse. A purulent urethral discharge is developed with pain when passing urine. The spread of infection to the proximal urethra also increases the frequency of micturition. In females, gonococcal urethritis is asymptomatic.

Gonococcus is a delicate organism that penetrates the intact urethral mucosa, producing the infection in the submucosa. The inflammation involves the periurethral glands and extends to prostate glands and epididymis. As a complication of gonococcal urethritis, abscesses may develop. After initial infection, fibrosis in periurethral glands also causes urethral strictures. Gonococcal urethritis can be tested by swab tests and urine tests. In swab tests, microbial cultures provide the diagnosis of antibiotic sensitivity tests, which are necessary for treatments. The most common treatment of gonococcal urethritis is an antibiotic named tetracycline hydrochloride.

What is Nongonococcal Urethritis?

Nongonococcal urethritis is an infection in the urethra often caused by chlamydia. Chlamydia is a bacterial infection caused by Chlamydia trachomatis. Nongonococcal urethritis is caused due to irritation or damage caused in the urethra due to sexually transmitted diseases such as chlamydia or other infections such as urinary tract infections. Many symptoms are seen in males infected with nongonococcal urethritis, while women show rare symptoms. Symptoms include white cloudy discharge along with urine, burning or painful sensation while urinating, and soreness or irritability around the genital area. Such symptoms can disappear without any treatment, but it contains risks as the disease can be passed down to another individual.

Diagnosing nongonococcal urethritis involves two methods: swab test and urine test. In a swab test, a sample of fluid is taken from the urethra using a swab and be tested further. A urine test is carried out using a urine sample, and it is considered a more reliable test. The main treatment of nongonococcal urethritis is antibiotics. Complications of nongonococcal urethritis are rare but may cause epididymo-orchitis, which is inflammation inside the testicles, and reactive arthritis, which can lead to joint pain and conjunctivitis.

What are the Similarities Between Gonococcal and Nongonococcal Urethritis?

• Gonococcal and nongonococcal urethritis are caused due to sexually transmitted diseases.
• Both are types of urethral infections.
• Moreover, both are treated using antibiotics such as tetracycline hydrochloride.
• Both are tested by swab test and urine test.
• Fever and malaise are experienced during both conditions.
• Both conditions are characterized by painful urination.

What is the Difference Between Gonococcal and Nongonococcal Urethritis?

Gonococcal urethritis is caused by Neisseria gonorrhoeae, while nongonococcal urethritis is caused by Chlamydia trachomatis. Thus, this is the key difference between gonococcal and nongonococcal urethritis. Moreover, the incubation period of gonococcal urethritis is around two to five days, whereas, in nongonococcal urethritis, it is 2 to 3 weeks. Also, the symptoms are sudden and unexpected in gonococcal urethritis, but symptoms grow gradually in a subtle in nongonococcal urethritis.

The below infographic presents the differences between gonococcal and nongonococcal urethritis in tabular form for side by side comparison.

Summary – Gonococcal vs Nongonococcal Urethritis

Gonococcal and nongonococcal urethritis are infections caused in the urethra. They are usually caused by sexually transmitted diseases. Gonococcal urethritis is an infection caused by Gonorrhea, and the causative agent is Neisseria gonorrhoeae. Nongonococcal urethritis is an infection in the urethra often caused by chlamydia, and the bacterium responsible is chlamydia trachomatis. So, this is the key difference between gonococcal and nongonococcal urethritis. The most common symptoms of both are painful urination and abnormal discharge with urine. A common treatment for both infections is antibiotic; tetracycline hydrochloride.

Reference:

1. “Gonococcal Urethritis.” An Overview | ScienceDirect Topics.
2. Young, Ashley. “Urethritis.” NCBI, U.S. National Library of Medicine.

Image Courtesy:

1. “Neisseria gonorrhoeae in urethral discharge” By Microrao – Own work (CC BY-SA 4.0) via Commons Wikimedia
2. “Chlamydia trachomatis Bacteria and the PmpD Protein” By NIAID (CC BY 2.0)