In the human body lives a wide variety of bacteria. Most of them are localized in the intestines and genital area. These microorganisms are both beneficial and harmful, as well as opportunistic pathogens. The last group includes the bacterium Gardnerella vaginalis. Modern men often experience he alth problems because of her.
Brief description of Gardnerella vaginalis
Gardnerella vaginalis, or gardnerella vaginalis, is a bacterium that is part of the vaginal microflora. It is a common cause of bacterial vaginitis and bacterial vaginosis. The microbe was first discovered in women in 1955 by American scientists Duxon and Gardner. Then he was given the name Haemophilus vaginalis (hemophilic vaginal bacillus). In 1980, new pathogenic characteristics of this microorganism were identified. As a result, the bacterium was renamed afterthe names of one of the authors of its discovery.
Gardnerella vaginalis is an opportunistic pathogen. This means that it can be in the genital tract and not cause he alth problems. The growth and high activity of gardnerella is usually restrained by human immunity. If the body's defenses weaken, it begins to multiply intensively, provoking the development of the disease gardnerellosis. It is extremely rare in men. However, when characteristic symptoms are detected, quality treatment is required.
Features of the disease
The diagnosis of "gardnerellosis" for men does not exist. The disease is better known as bacterial vaginosis and is more common in the fair sex. This is due to the specific anatomy of the female genital organs. They are more prone to ingestion of harmful bacteria due to their special structure.
Gardnerellosis is a disorder of the microflora in the vagina. It is characterized by a decrease in the number of lactobacilli and an increase in other pathogenic microorganisms. Gardnerella vaginalis is commonly cited as an example.
Pathogens can enter the male body. Representatives of the stronger sex do not experience as much inconvenience as women feel. This is due to the rapid removal of bacteria from the body, which happens about 2-3 days after sexual intercourse. If the infection overtook during a period that coincided with a number of favorable factors (weakened immunity, other pathologies), the likelihood of "fixing"gardnerellosis in men is quite high. As a result, an inflammatory process occurs, accompanied by unpleasant symptoms.
Main reasons
The causes of gardnerellosis in men are inappropriate to consider, since infection occurs only after sexual contact with a sick partner. As noted above, the bacterium independently leaves the body within 2-3 days. However, the presence of certain factors can favorably affect the disease. The following disorders and disorders often act as a trigger for the development of the pathological process:
- lowered immunity;
- frequent emotional upheavals;
- physical overwork;
- chronic diseases of the urogenital area;
- long-term use of antibiotics;
- STDs.
A man's gardnerellosis, if he is absolutely he althy, may not appear at all. However, he will be a carrier of the infection and will be able to infect a partner through any sexual contact.
Routes of infection
Doctors consider 3 possible transmission routes:
- Sexual. This is the most common type of infection. With unprotected sex, the risk of infection is almost 100%.
- Vertical. Gardnerella vaginalis can be passed from mother to child during childbirth. However, the risk of infection is negligible. Many scientists dispute this mode of transmission of the bacterium. In girls, gardnerella is extremely rare before the onset of menstruation. Cases of infectionboys in childbirth are not known to science at all.
- Contact household. Sometimes gardnerella is transmitted through personal hygiene items and wet underwear. In medicine, several cases have been described when the bacterium was found in young girls with vaginosis and in boys with balanoposthitis.
Thus, the most likely option for infection with gardnerellosis in men is sexual contact. Other methods are technically possible, but the risk is negligible.
Clinical picture
The incubation period of the disease is 3 to 10 days. Sometimes it lasts up to 5 weeks.
Most often, the infection does not manifest itself, while the man is its hidden carrier. Active reproduction of bacteria in the body leads to inflammation of the urethra - urethritis. Therefore, the symptoms of gardnerellosis in men are in many ways similar to the manifestations of this pathology. First of all, the patient addresses the following complaints:
- The appearance of uncharacteristic discharge from the urethra. They are usually watery, odorous, and greenish in color.
- Darkening of the head of the penis.
- Skin rash on the penis.
- Discomfort and itching in the groin.
- Pain during intercourse.
If the above symptoms appear, you should immediately consult a doctor. Treatment of gardnerellosis in men is done by a urologist.
Complicated course of the disease
Pain and burning when urinating,uncharacteristic discharge and discomfort in the groin - all these symptoms quickly disappear on their own. Therefore, men rarely seek medical help in a timely manner. Gardnerellosis can result in complications such as pyelonephritis, epididymitis or cystitis. The number of recorded cases of an unfavorable course of the disease is negligible. However, every man should know the symptoms, based on which it is possible to identify the development of complications, in order to inform the doctor about them.
With pyelonephritis, there is an increase in temperature up to 39 degrees, aching muscles. The symptoms of cystitis are in many ways similar to those of prostatitis. The only difference is that discomfort appears only when urinating. In the case of epididymitis, patients complain of pain in the testicles, which may radiate to the area of the sacrum or lower back. The epididymis greatly increases in size, the skin turns red here.
Symptoms of an illness in a partner
To prevent infection, it is important to pay attention to the symptoms of the disease in a female sexual partner. First of all, abundant vaginal discharge appears, which has a fishy smell. Their hue can vary from grayish white to yellow. After intimate contact, these signs are especially intensified. When they appear, you should immediately begin treatment, and the man should be tested for Gardnerella vaginalis.
Diagnostic Methods
It is not possible to make a diagnosis of "gardnerellosis" in men from a photo or only on the basis of a clinical picture. When a disease is suspectedIn the patient, the doctor first takes a swab from the urethra, performs a Gram stain, and examines it under a microscope. Even the presence of squamous epithelial cells with gardnerella is not proof that the inflammation began precisely because of this bacteria. Therefore, more accurate analyzes are additionally assigned. This is a quantitative PCR method and bakposev. If the results show that the number of bacteria in 1 ml of the material exceeds the allowable limit, the provisional diagnosis is confirmed.
How to treat gardnerellosis in men?
As a rule, the therapy of the disease is based on taking antibacterial agents. Medicines should be selected by a doctor, taking into account the results of determining the response of the pathogen to antibiotics. Usually treatment takes no more than two weeks. During this period, it is important for the patient to follow the following recommendations:
- rejection of sexual life;
- exclusion from the diet of spicy and spicy foods;
- limit physical activity;
- refusal to visit saunas and baths;
- warning emotional upheavals.
Most often prescribed local drugs for the treatment of gardnerellosis in men. Oral medications are usually accompanied by many side effects. Gels "Dalacin" and "Metrogil" have proven themselves well.
When local treatment fails, and the disease is accompanied by complications, a course of antibiotics is prescribed. Preference is given to drugs from the group of lincosamides or tetracyclines. To avoid intestinal dysbiosis after taking oral medicationsAdditionally, patients are prescribed pre- and probiotics. The latter contain lactobacilli and bifidobacteria, which are necessary for the normal functioning of the gastrointestinal tract. Prebiotics contain components for the vital activity of these bacteria.
During the treatment of any infectious disease, special attention is paid to the state of the immune system. Therefore, general strengthening drugs are added to the main course of therapy. These include the following means: "Immunal", Eleutherococcus tincture, various vitamin and mineral complexes. If the body's defenses are weakened, the help of immunomodulators may be required.
Prognosis for recovery
Timely treatment of gardnerellosis in men has a favorable prognosis for recovery. After the end of the course of therapy, a second examination is required.
After the destruction of the bacteria in the body, the patient does not develop immunity resistant to it. Therefore, re-infection is not excluded. To avoid recurrence of the disease, it is important to simultaneously undergo treatment and sexual partner.
Prevention Methods
Prevention of the disease comes down to personal hygiene and the use of barrier contraceptives. In the second case, we are talking only about condoms. It should be borne in mind that they are still not a panacea for all pathologies. The risk of infection is negligible, but still exists. Therefore, casual sexual contact is best avoided. When symptoms of gardnerellosis appear in men, both treatment and diagnosis shoulddeal only with a doctor.
Also, for preventive purposes, experts give the following recommendations:
- If a female partner has symptoms of gynecological diseases, you should immediately consult a doctor. It is unacceptable to engage in self-medication, which can only aggravate the course of the pathology.
- When confirmed at the doctor's office for bacterial vaginosis, a man should also be examined.
- Gardnerellosis is a non-dangerous disease if it is not accompanied by a complicated course or other pathologies. If a man is absolutely he althy, the bacterium will leave his body on its own within 2-3 days. With a weakened immune system, serious therapy is required. The doctor at the appointment should tell about the causes of gardnerellosis in men and the symptoms.
- Treatment is usually given to both partners. It is important to use the same drugs for the time specified by the doctor. During the entire period of therapy, it is important to follow a diet and refrain from intimacy.
Compliance with the above recommendations minimizes the risk of infection with gardnerellosis. However, they do not exempt partners from regular examinations by specialized specialists for preventive purposes.
