Male urethritis in King County, Washington, 1974-75: I. Incidence

In a population-based study in King County, Washington an attempt was made to enumerate all cases of male urethritis receiving primary care from all sources over a defined period of time. The incidence of gonococcal (GCU) and non-gonococcal urethritis (NGU) was estimated to be 1,143 and 2,541 cases per year per 100,000 men age 15 and over, respectively, during 1974-1975. Private practitioners treat 62 per cent of GCU and 64 per cent of NGU estimated to occur in the county. They report only 3 per cent GCU which they see to the Health Department. Only 60 per cent of the general practitioners, 33 per cent of the internists and 65 per cent of the urologists had treated males with GCU in the three months prior to being questioned but these three groups of specialists see 95 per cent of all male urethritis treated by private practioners. The proportion of all male urethritis cases which were GCU ranged from .16 in a university student health clinic to .35 in private practices and Health Department clinics.