Infection of the epididymis by Ureaplasma urealyticum

Ureaplasma urealyticum organisms (ureaplasmas) were isolated from the urethra and epididymal aspirate of a man aged 24 who had acute right sided epididymitis. No other microorganisms were detected, and he had no chlamydial antibody response. A fourfold antibody response to the epididymal ureaplasma isolate was detected by two methods, however, and the patient responded clinically to doxycycline, to which the ureaplasmal isolates were susceptible in vitro. These findings suggest that U urealyticum had a causative role.