Ureaplasma urealiticum, IgG antibodies
Why this test?
To determine whether a person is infected with Ureaplasma urealyticum bacteria.
To determine the causative agent of urethritis (together with other data).
To detect hidden ureaplasma infection.
In what cases is it prescribed?
With symptoms of urethritis.
When clarifying the causes of urethritis and other pathologies associated with Ureaplasma urealyticum.
Test information
U. urealyticum is a microorganism belonging to the mycoplasma group. In medicine, attention is paid to two types of ureaplasmas: U. urealyticum and U. parvum, because they are the ones that can cause the disease. However, in most cases, the presence of ureaplasma in a patient is not accompanied by any symptoms, that is, these bacteria can be present in the microflora of a healthy person. Ureaplasmas are present in 40-70% of sexually active women. They are less common in men. Ureaplasma can be transmitted sexually or during childbirth.
Sometimes these bacteria can be the cause of urethritis - inflammation of the urethra. Moreover, U. urealyticum is only one of the possible causative agents of urethritis, which is also caused by gonococci (Neisseria gonorrhoeae), chlamydia (Chlamydia trachomatis), trichomonads (Trichomonas vaginalis), mycoplasmas (Mycoplasma genitalium) and other microorganisms. It is impossible to determine the causative agent based on external symptoms, so laboratory tests are required for an accurate diagnosis (and the choice of the correct treatment method).
Symptoms of urethritis - In men: pain, burning in the urethra, mucous secretions from the urethra, pus in the urine. In women: vaginal discharge pain when urinating, stomach pain Some researchers believe that there is a connection between ureaplasmas and complications during pregnancy, but this has not been proven, so the analysis for ureaplasmas during pregnancy is optional. Expected consequences of ureaplasma infection: premature birth, stillbirth, infertility, chorioamnionitis, in newborns - meningitis, pulmonary dysplasia, pneumonia.
After pathogenic microorganisms enter the body, it begins to fight them. One of the ways to fight is the production of antibodies - special immunoglobulin proteins. There are several types of immunoglobulins: IgG, IgM, IgA, etc. Antibodies of the IgG class are present in the blood in the largest amount (compared to other types of immunoglobulins). As a rule, when infected, they are not the first to appear (later than IgM), but their level remains high for a long time (months and even years). In addition, IgG antibodies provide a secondary immune response (which is called immunity).
If a person who has already contracted this disease once becomes infected again, then IgG will appear faster and in larger quantities than before. The relationship between the presence of bacteria and the development of the disease is not sufficiently studied, so the detection of antibodies against ureaplasmas is rather an additional factor for making a diagnosis, rather than a decisive one.
