Self-reported history of sexually transmitted infection and chronic prostatitis symptoms: a cross-sectional study of a Nigerian undergraduate population.

The aetiology of chronic prostatitis is poorly understood. A cross-sectional study of a population of male undergraduates in Nigeria, using a questionnaire containing the National Institutes of Health Chronic Prostatitis Symptom Index (NIH-CPSI) and some other relevant sex-related questions, was conducted. A total of 14.9% of the population had chronic prostatitis symptoms (CPSs) defined as a pain score of four or more on the NIH-CPSI pain subscale. Approximately 26 or 12% of the population had at least one, or ≥ 2 location(s) of pain, respectively. The presence of CPS was found to correlate with a self-reported history of sexually transmitted infection (STI) (r = +0.237; P < 0.05) and 73% of those with a self-reported history of STI had CPS. Both voiding scores and quality-of-life scores were significantly higher in subjects with CPS, compared with those without CPS. Self-reported history of STI may be an important aetiological factor for chronic prostatitis/chronic pelvic pain symptoms.