Complicated infections of the male genital tract with emphasis on Chlamydia trachomatis as an etiological agent.

During the past five years, Chlamydia trachomatis has been documented to be one of the main etiological agents in urethritis, and also in acute epididymitis in men less than 35 years old. Although C. trachomatis is known to infect the urethra and the epididymidis, its etiological role in prostatitis is uncertain. In patients today, urethral stricture most often occurs after surgical manipulation such as instrumentation of the urethra. In patients who develop stricture as a sequela to a sexually transmitted infection, there is more commonly a history of nongonococcal than of gonococcal urethritis. When stricture does occur, early treatment is important for good prognosis. A case of urethral stricture is described in which acute retention appeared 2.5 years after a Chlamydia-caused urethritis was diagnosed.