Lithogenic Potential of Ureaplasma in Chronic Prostatitis

Abstract

<b><i>Introduction:</i></b> The role of <i>Ureaplasma</i> spp. (UPs) in the pathogenesis of chronic prostatitis is debated. The lithogenic potential of UPs could be a risk factor for the development of chronic prostatitis. <b><i>Methods:</i></b> A total of 143 patients with identification of UPs were retrospectively selected from a database including patients with prostatitis-like symptoms who were studied according to the same protocol including clinical, microbiological and microscopic evaluation, and transrectal prostate ultrasound. A control group of patients with negative UPs was considered including 393 with chronic bacterial prostatitis (CBP), 42 patients with <i>Chlamydia trachomatis</i> (CT), and 781 patients with chronic pelvic pain syndrome. UPs and <i>Mycoplasma hominis</i> (MH) were identified using a semiquantitative assay. <b><i>Results:</i></b> Calcifications were observed more frequently in patients with UPs (64%) than in patients with CBP without UPs (39%), CT infection (37%), and chronic pelvic pain syndrome (29%) (<i>p</i> &#x3c; 0.0001). UPs were isolated in VB1 alone in 35 patients (urethral UPs), in expressed prostatic secretion (EPS) or post-massage urine (VB3) or sperm in 77 patients (prostatic UPs) and associated with other pathogens in 31 patients (associated UPs). Calcifications were more frequent in prostatic UPs (71%) and associated UPs (73%) than in urethral UPs (34%). Mean NIH-CPSI scores were not significantly different between groups, although mean WBC counts of sperm of patients with urethral UPs were significantly lower than in patients with prostatic UPs (<i>p</i> = 0.000) and associated UPs (<i>p</i> = 0.002). <b><i>Conclusions:</i></b> UPs identification in the urogenital fluids is related to higher rates of prostate calcifications. The ability of UPs to promote the formation of calcifications could be related to the chronicization of prostate infection. In particular, the presence of UPs in VB3/EPS/sperm is associated with higher rates of calcifications and high WBC sperm counts, suggesting a partial or full causative role of UPs in the pathogenesis of this disease.