What is mycoplasma genitalium? British MDs warn STI could be next big superbug

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(Amanda MacMillan/ Health) — British doctors are warning about a sexually transmitted infection that could become the next hard-to-treat superbug, thanks to its increasing resistance to traditional antibiotics. They say that the infection, called Mycoplasma genitalium (also known as M. genitalium or simply MG), can cause urinary problems in men and infertility in women, but many Europeans—and North Americans—have never even heard of it.

According to the BBC, the British Association of Sexual Health and HIV—a professional organization of U.K. doctors and health care professionals—has issued draft guidelines for “how best to spot and treat MG.” The infection can often be missed or misdiagnosed by both patients and doctors, doctors say.

To learn more about this sneaky STI, we spoke with Lisa Manhart, PhD, professor of epidemiology at the University of Washington, who’s been researching MG for more than 15 years. Here’s what she wants everyone to know.

MG is a bacterium that was first identified in the early 1980s. According to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control (CDC), MG has been recognized as a cause of male urethritis, or inflammation of the urethra. This condition can lead to discharge from the penis and pain when urinating. (…)

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