Urethritis

Inflammation of the urethra. (The urethra is the transport tube leading from the bladder to discharge urine outside the body.)Urethritis can be due to several causes, including sexually transmitted diseases such as Chlamydia, or irritation. Treatment depends on the cause.

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Inflammation of the urethra. [ureth- + G. -itis, inflammation]

- anterior u. inflammation of the portion of the urethra anterior to the triangular ligament.

- follicular u. chronic u. with nodular lymphocytic infiltrations in the mucosa. SYN: granular u..

- gonorrheal u. infection of the urethra usually in association with a purulent discharge due to Neisseria gonorrhoeae.

- granular u. SYN: follicular u..

- nongonococcal u. u. not resulting from gonococcal infection; venereally transmitted Chlamydia trachomatis is the most common cause.

- nonspecific u. u. not resulting from gonococcal, chlamydial, or other specific infectious agents. SYN: simple u..

- u. petrificans u., sometimes of gouty origin, in which there is a deposit of calcareous matter in the wall of the urethra.

- posterior u. inflammation of the membranous and prostatic portions of the urethra.

- simple u. SYN: nonspecific u..

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ure·thri·tis .yu̇r-i-'thrīt-əs n inflammation of the urethra

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n.

inflammation of the urethra. This may be due to gonorrhoea (specific urethritis), another sexually transmitted infection, often infection with Chlamydia (nongonococcal urethritis, NGU; or nonspecific urethritis, NSU), or to the presence of a catheter in the urethra. The symptoms are those of urethral discharge with painful or difficult urination (dysuria). Treatment of urethritis due to infection is by administration of appropriate antibiotics after the causative organisms have been isolated from the discharge. Untreated or severe urethritis results in a urethral stricture.

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ure·thri·tis (u″rə-thriґtis) inflammation of the urethra.