In Singapore, genitourinary infections can affect the external genitals, reproductive organs, urethra, and/or bladder. Most can be treated.
Keywords: genitourinary infection, genitourinary infection in Singapore, Singapore genitourinary infection
Genitourinary infections are infections in the reproductive tract (the genitals) or the urinary tract. Because these two systems are very close to each other in the body (in the case of men, the reproductive tract and urinary tract even share a single tube, the urethra), many genitourinary infections cause symptoms in both of these body systems.
In men, for example, a common symptom of most genitourinary infections is a burning sensation while urinating. This will be the primary symptom of a urinary tract infection (UTI); these infections can potentially spread up the urethra and into the bladder.
A man with a sexually transmitted infection (STI) will usually also experience discharge from the tip of the penis, along with burning during urination. Discharge is a common feature of several STIs, including gonorrhea and chlamydia, which are very common infections in Singapore. However, many men with STIs don’t have any symptoms, so they may not realize that they’re infected. Rather than spreading further up the urinary tract, an STI typically spreads further up the reproductive tract; if it spreads into the epididymis (a part of the testicle), infertility may result.
In women, a burning sensation while urinating usually indicates a UTI. Women are more likely to get UTIs than are men, because they have a shorter urethra. UTIs are usually easy to treat with antibiotics, but some women get them frequently. For these women, it may be beneficial to urinate immediately after each act of intercourse, to flush out any bacteria that may have been transferred into the end of the urethra during sex. Some women also benefit from taking a small dose of antibiotics daily to prevent infections, although this can have side effects and is not recommended for everyone.
Women with STIs often have discharge from the vagina. Discharge is present in such infections as gonorrhea, chlamydia, trichomoniasis, and candidiasis (a yeast infection), all of which are common in Singapore. Some of these infections, particularly gonorrhea and chlamydia, may spread further into the reproductive tract, including the uterus and fallopian tubes. The scarring caused by the infection may lead to permanent infertility, even if antibiotics are given. This is why it’s important to treat the infection early, rather than waiting to see if it clears up on its own.
Some genitourinary infections don’t cause any internal symptoms, but primarily affect the external genitalia (the penis and vulva), and may also cause symptoms around the anus. For example, genital herpes causes small sores to appear in the affected area, often accompanied by a burning sensation. While the sores do clear up, the herpes virus remains within the body, and the patient may get recurrent infections of herpes throughout life. Genital warts are also caused by a virus, and lead to growths which are usually small but can be larger. These warts do clear up on their own when the body’s immune system clears out the virus, but it may take 18 months or longer for the warts to disappear on their own. They can also be removed by a doctor during a simple procedure in the clinic.
References
Genitourinary at Shim Clinic, Singapore