Chapter 23: Urogenital System Infections

bacterial vaginosis (BV)

an imbalance in the normal vaginal microbiota without inflammation; may be asymptomatic or may cause mild symptoms such as a thin, white-to-yellow, homogeneous vaginal discharge, burning, odor, and itching; major causative agent is gardnerella vaginalis

candidiasis

a condition characterized by vaginitis and commonly known as a yeast infection

cervix

the lower part of the uterus (the organ where a fertilized egg will implant and develop); a common site of infection, especially for viruses that may lead to cervical cancer

chancroid

caused by the gram-negative rod haemophilus ducreyi; It is characterized by soft chancres on the genitals or other areas associated with sexual contact, such as the mouth and anus; treatments include antibiotics such as azithromycin, ciprofloxacin, erythromycin and ceftriaxone

chlamydia

a major cause of nongonococcal urethritis (NGU) and may also cause epididymitis and orchitis in males; In females, infections can cause urethritis, salpingitis, and PID; infections may be associated with an increased risk of cervical cancer; an STI; mostly asymptomatic

cystitis

inflammation of the bladder

dysuria

urination accompanied by burning, discomfort, or pain; common symptoms of cystitis

epididymis

a coiled tube that collects sperm from the testes and passes it on to the vas deferens; also the site of sperm maturation after they leave the testes

epididymitis

inflammation of the epididymis; this inflammation causes pain in the scrotum, testicles, and groin; swelling, redness, and warm skin in these areas may also be observed

genital herpes

a common condition caused by the herpes simplex virus; usually associated with herpes simplex virus type 2 (HSV-2)

genital warts

are an extremely prevalent STI caused by certain strains of HPV; termed “condylomata acuminata”; are irregular, soft, pink growths that are found on external genitalia or the anus

glomerulonephritis

an inflammation of the glomeruli of the nephrons; symptoms include excessive protein and blood in urine, increased blood pressure, and fluid retention leading to edema of face, hands, and feet; may be an acute infection or it can become chronic

glomerulus

a specialized capillary bed where each nephron is in intimate contact with blood through this bed; fluids, electrolytes, and molecules from the blood pass from it into the nephron

gonorrhea

a common sexually transmitted disease of the reproductive system that is especially prevalent in individuals between the ages of 15 and 24.; also known as the clap; associated with purulent discharge; a common STI

gummas

granulomatous lesions;can be large and destructive, potentially causing massive tissue damage

hard chancre

a lesion that is initially hard and painless, but it soon develops into an ulcerated sore

hematuria

blood in the urine

herpes simplex virus (HSV) 1 & 2

two types of this virus; the first one is generally associated with oral lesions like cold sores or fever blisters; the second is usually associated with genital herpes; both viruses can infect either location as well as other parts of the body; oral-genital contact can spread either virus from the mouth to the genital region or vice versa

human papillomavirus (HPV)

a small, non-enveloped virus with a circular double-stranded DNA genome; is the most common STI in the country; warts of all types are caused by a variety of strains from it; infection is often asymptomatic and self-limiting

kidneys

carries out the urinary system’s primary functions of filtering the blood and maintaining water and electrolyte balance; composed of millions of filtration units called nephrons

lymphogranuloma venereum

cause an infection of the lymphatic system in the groin; this condition is commonly found in tropical regions and can also co-occur in conjunction with HIV infection

neonatal herpes

herpes infections in newborns; generally transmitted to the neonate during childbirth, when the child is exposed to pathogens in the birth canal; infections can occur regardless of whether lesions are present in the birth canal

nongonococcal urethritis (NGU)

refers to inflammation of the urethra; in females, it is often asymptomatic; in males, it is typically a mild disease, but can lead to purulent discharge and dysuria; symptoms are often mild or nonexistent; important bacterial pathogens that cause it include chlamydia trachomatis, mycoplasma genitalium, and mycoplasma hominis

nontreponemal serologic test

a syphilis test for antibodies against bacteria; indirect

orchitis

inflammation of the testicle

pelvic inflammatory disease (PID)

an infection of the female reproductive organs including the uterus, cervix, fallopian tubes, and ovaries; symptoms can vary between people and include pain in the lower abdomen, vaginal discharge, fever, chills, nausea, diarrhea, vomiting, and painful urination; common pathogens are neisseria gonorrhoeae and chlamydia trachomatis

penis

the male reproductive organ; also serves as the urinal duct

prostate

an accessory gland in males that produce fluid that supports sperm; surrounds the bladder neck and urethra

prostatitis

inflammation of the prostate gland

pyelonephritis

an infection of one or both of the kidneys and may develop from a lower urinary tract infection; the upper urinary tract, including the ureters, is often affected; produces pus

pyuria

pus in the urine

salpinges/fallopian tubes

paired tubes in the female body that stretch from the uterus to the ovaries; plays a crucial role in enabling sperm to reach the egg and transporting a fertilized egg to the uterus

salpingitis

inflammation of the fallopian tubes

seminal vesicles

a pair of glands that are a part of the male reproductive system; produce and store fluid that makes up most of the semen

soft chancres

develop into painful, open sores that may bleed or produce fluid that is highly contagious; they compromise the protective barriers of the skin or mucous membranes, making individuals more susceptible to HIV and other sexually transmitted diseases

syphilis

spread through direct physical (generally sexual) contact, and is caused by the gram-negative spirochete treponema pallidum; progresses through three distinct stages: primary, secondary, and tertiary; associated with development of gummas

testes

are responsible for the production of sperm

treponemal serologic test

a “blood test” that is direct; test for bacteria for syphilis

trichomoniasis

a protozoan infection of the reproductive tract; normal microbiota, opportunistic; colored, odorous, discharge; adhesins and tetraspanins for virulence factors; microscopic evaluation as diagnosis; treatment is metronidazole and tinidazole

ureter

carries urine from the kidneys to the bladder

urethra

a tube that connects the urinary bladder to the urinary meatus for the removal of urine from the body of both males and females

urethritis

inflammation of the urethra

urinary bladder

a sac that stores urine before it leaves the body through the urethra

uterus

also known as the womb; responsible for containing and nourishing the developing fetus during pregnancy

vagina

the female reproductive organ; serves as the birth canal during childbirth

vaginitis

inflammation of the vagina

vaginosis

bacterial infections of the vagina

vas deferens

a bodily tube that carriers sperm from the testicle to the urethra; joins seminal vesicle to form ejaculatory duct

vulva

the external genitalia in females

yeast infections

fungal infections of the vagina