URETHRITIS

bacterial or viral infection and inflammation of the urethra, the channel for passage of urine from the urinary bladder to the outside. Urethritis is more frequent in males than in females. The most frequent urethral infection is the venereal disease gonorrhea. The mucous glands in the lining of the urethra serve as important harbouring places for the gonococci, which invade the glands while the infection is just beginning and remain in them even after the mucous membrane has healed. Another common urethral infection is caused by the Trichomonas vaginalis organism frequently resident in the vagina. Chemical irritants or the spread of infection from other parts of the urinary tract may also cause urethritis. The inflammation in the urethra can narrow its channel, and swelling and the buildup of fibrous tissue can make urination difficult and painful. Obstruction or constriction of the urethra usually produce the same results: urination becomes difficult or impossible, causing an accumulation of stagnant urine in the bladder, and this usually leads to severe infection. Eventually back pressure prevents urine from leaving the kidneys, causing renal failure. The treatment of urethritis in most cases includes the administration of antibiotics to kill the infecting organisms.