STIs
Ureaplasma parvum PCR (swab)
PCR test for Ureaplasma parvum in a vaginal swab; very often present without symptoms, so a positive result says little.
What it measures
Ureaplasma parvum is a small bacterium without a cell wall that is present in the genital organs of many healthy people without causing symptoms (carriage); in women it is the most common bacterium of this group. In adults, the bacterium is usually transmitted through sex, but it is not counted among the STIs. There is no good evidence that Ureaplasma parvum causes disease in adults. The PCR looks for genetic material of the bacterium in a self-collected vaginal swab and does not say whether the bacterium causes symptoms.
- Presence of Ureaplasma parvum in the vagina; this is usually carriage without symptoms
Positive
A positive result means that the bacterium is present. This is very common in people without symptoms and usually does not mean disease. According to a position statement of the European STI Guidelines Editorial Board (IUSTI, 2018), in most studies Ureaplasma parvum is even found more often in people without symptoms than in people with urethritis (inflammation of the urethra), and there is no good evidence of a link with inflammation or infertility. Treatment of a positive result is therefore not needed; the bacterium is also hard to get rid of permanently.
Negative
A negative result means that the bacterium was not found. Because Ureaplasma parvum also occurs in healthy people and is not a proven cause of disease, a negative result has little meaning for your health. This result does not explain or rule out vaginal symptoms; tests for chlamydia, gonorrhea, trichomonas and bacterial vaginosis, among others, are intended for that.
If your result is abnormal
With a positive result, according to the European recommendation, no treatment or follow-up is needed, not even with symptoms. With symptoms, the GP looks for other causes, such as chlamydia, gonorrhea, Mycoplasma genitalium, trichomonas or, in women, bacterial vaginosis. Ureaplasma is not notifiable.
Reliability
The PCR reliably detects the bacterium, but a positive result does not distinguish between carriage and an infection that causes symptoms. Ureaplasma parvum is not a proven cause of disease: the evidence that this bacterium causes urethritis or other symptoms is insufficient. As a result, a positive result says little, both in people without symptoms and in people with symptoms.
Limitations
- A positive result does not say whether the bacterium causes symptoms; the bacterium is present in a large share of women without symptoms.
- In women, the amount of this bacterium is associated with bacterial vaginosis, which can itself be the cause of symptoms.
- Treatment with antibiotics often does not remove the bacterium permanently.
- With self-collection, too little material may end up on the swab, for example if it was not inserted far enough or for too short a time; this can give a false negative result.
How common is this
How common Ureaplasma parvum is in the Netherlands is not known, because it is not routinely tested for. In international studies using PCR, the bacterium was found in 20 to 89 percent of sexually active women who were not pregnant. In men, how common it is is not well known, but probably more common than Ureaplasma urealyticum.
Who is this useful for
The result usually does not explain symptoms, because the bacterium also occurs in many healthy people. Vaginal symptoms more often fit bacterial vaginosis, chlamydia, gonorrhea or trichomonas. This test is not suitable for questions about pregnancy or fertility.
Downsides and risks
- A positive result can lead to unnecessary treatment with antibiotics, with a chance of side effects and of resistance in this bacterium and in other bacteria, including those that cause real STIs.
- A positive result can wrongly give the idea that you have an STI, leading to worry or tension in a relationship.
Sources
- Horner e.a. Should we be testing for urogenital Mycoplasma hominis, Ureaplasma parvum and Ureaplasma urealyticum in men and women? Standpunt van de European STI Guidelines Editorial Board (IUSTI), J Eur Acad Dermatol Venereol 2018
- Multidisciplinaire Richtlijn Seksueel overdraagbare aandoeningen (2024), module B1 Urethritis
- Thuisarts.nl: Ik wil een soa-test doen
Always discuss an abnormal result with your GP. If a result is strongly abnormal, we try to reach you as soon as possible. Read your result yourself as well and contact your GP if in doubt. A test does not make a diagnosis. Read more about risks and results