Urethral Discharge

March 2024

Urethritis is an inflammation of the urethra. It can be caused, among other things, by a viral, fungal or bacterial infection. Sexually transmitted infections (STIs) have been identified as the most common cause of urethritis. According to the Public Health Agency of Canada, Neisseria gonorrhoeae is found in 30% of cases of acute urethritis. For non-gonococcal urethritis, Chlamydia trachomatis is found in 15% to 40% of cases, and Mycoplasma genitalium is found in 15% to 25% of cases. The other possible infectious causes include Trichomonas vaginalis, the herpes simplex virus, adenoviruses and Candida albicans. Nearly half of the cases of non-gonococcal urethritis do not have a precise etiology.

The involvement of all qualified professionals, including nurses, in the management of urethral discharge is important because it is a relatively common syndrome that often results from communicable diseases. Consequently, to support clinicians, the Ministère de la Santé et des Services sociaux (MSSS) asked the Institut national d’excellence en santé et en services sociaux (INESSS) to carry out work aimed at updating the Québec’s national medical protocol and the collective prescription template with regard to diagnostic measures and pharmacological treatment in a person with a urethral discharge.