7 things you should know about Ureaplasma

Ureaplasma is a group of very small bacteria that can live in the urinary and genital tract. There are two main types: Ureaplasma urealyticum and Ureaplasma parvum. Older studies often did not tell the two apart.

Ureaplasma can be passed on through sex, but it is also frequently found in healthy people. Carrying Ureaplasma without symptoms is common, and most people who have it never develop any disease from it.

Because so many healthy people carry it, a positive test does not always mean Ureaplasma is causing a problem. The evidence linking it to disease is poor, so most people who test positive do not need treatment. UK guidance from the British Association for Sexual Health and HIV (BASHH) does not recommend routine testing or treatment for Ureaplasma in people with or without symptoms, although it says testing for Ureaplasma urealyticum with a specialist test that measures how much is present may be considered for men whose urethritis continues after other infections have been ruled out.

If you test positive with Better2Know, our doctors will look at your symptoms and your other results and advise you on the next steps.

Most people with Ureaplasma have no symptoms. The main problem linked to it is urethritis in men, which can cause pain or burning when peeing or discharge from the penis (see point 4). Apart from this, the evidence that Ureaplasma causes symptoms is poor.

Pain or burning when peeing is not specific to Ureaplasma. It can also be caused by other STIs, such as Chlamydia, Gonorrhoea, Mycoplasma genitalium and Trichomonas, or by a urinary tract infection. If you have symptoms, it is important to test for these more common causes.

Ureaplasma can be passed on through sex. But it is also commonly found in the genital tract of healthy people who have no symptoms, and most people who carry it do not develop any disease from it.

Some studies have found that Ureaplasma urealyticum is more common in men and women with fertility problems. Two reviews of these studies found links between Ureaplasma urealyticum and infertility in men and in women. But earlier studies had given conflicting results, and studies like these cannot show that Ureaplasma causes infertility. The review of male infertility did not find a link with Ureaplasma parvum.

Studies of Ureaplasma in pregnancy, including possible links with premature birth, have also given mixed results. A 2022 review found that the evidence does not allow firm conclusions.

If you are trying for a baby or are pregnant and are worried about Ureaplasma, you can talk to one of our doctors about whether testing is right for you.

Urethritis is inflammation of the urethra, the tube that carries pee out of the body. It can cause pain or burning when peeing and discharge from the penis. When urethritis in men is not caused by Gonorrhoea, it is called non-gonococcal urethritis (NGU).

Ureaplasma urealyticum may cause some cases of NGU, possibly only when large amounts of the bacteria are present, but other infections, such as Chlamydia and Mycoplasma genitalium, cause it more often. Ureaplasma parvum is unlikely to cause urethritis.

If you have symptoms of urethritis, it is important to test for the more common causes, such as Chlamydia, Gonorrhoea and Mycoplasma genitalium. UK guidance says testing for Ureaplasma urealyticum may be considered if urethritis continues after these have been ruled out.

Ureaplasma can be treated with antibiotics. But because many people carry it without any harm, UK guidance does not recommend routine treatment, and there is no evidence that clearing it with antibiotics brings any benefit. Taking antibiotics when they are not needed can also help bacteria become resistant to them.

If you test positive, our doctors will look at your symptoms and your other results and advise you on whether treatment is right for you, and whether your partner should be tested. If you are treated, avoid sex until you have finished your treatment.

You should wait 14 days after possible exposure before testing for Ureaplasma. This gives the bacteria time to be reliably detected. If you have symptoms, you can test straight away.

To test for Ureaplasma, all you need to provide is a urine sample. Because symptoms such as pain when peeing have several possible causes, Better2Know tests for Ureaplasma as part of screens that check for several infections at once. It is also available as a single test.

• Comfort Screen: a urine test for 7 infections that can cause symptoms such as pain when peeing: Chlamydia, Gardnerella, Gonorrhoea, Herpes, Mycoplasma, Trichomonas and Ureaplasma. You can test from 14 days, with results in 2 days at a clinic.
• Full Screen: a blood and urine test for 7 infections: Chlamydia, Gonorrhoea, Hepatitis B, HIV, Mycoplasma, Syphilis and Ureaplasma, from 28 days.
• Platinum Screen: our most comprehensive STI screen, which tests for 12 infections, from 28 days.
• Ureaplasma: a urine test for Ureaplasma only, from 14 days after possible exposure, with results in 5 days.

The Comfort Screen, Full Screen and Platinum Screen are also available as home test kits: the Comfort Screen home test, the Full Screen home test and the Platinum Screen home test. You can also book your test at one of our clinics across the UK.

Is Ureaplasma an STI?

Ureaplasma can be passed on through sex, so it is often grouped with STIs. But it is also commonly found in healthy people who have no symptoms, and most people who carry it never develop any disease from it.

Does Ureaplasma always need treatment?

No. Ureaplasma is often found in healthy people, and most people who carry it do not develop any disease from it. UK guidance does not recommend routine treatment, so if you test positive, our doctors will advise you on whether you need any.

What is the difference between Ureaplasma and Mycoplasma?

Ureaplasma and Mycoplasma are closely related types of bacteria. Mycoplasma genitalium is an STI that is a known cause of urethritis and pelvic inflammatory disease, while Ureaplasma is more often found without causing problems. Read more in “Ureaplasma vs Mycoplasma: which is it?”

Ureaplasma is common, often causes no symptoms and usually does not need treatment. But if you have symptoms such as pain or burning when you pee, it is important to find out what is causing them.

If you are worried about Ureaplasma or any other STI, our Patient Care Team is available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week on 020 7099 0955, or you can book your confidential appointment online at a clinic near you.

Not in the UK? Choose your country from the selector at the top of the page for local tests and prices.

This article originally appeared on 1 April 2021 and was last updated on 29 September 2026.

This article is general information and not a substitute for personal medical advice.

Sources

1. British Association for Sexual Health and HIV, Summary guidance on testing for sexually transmitted infections, 2023. https://www.bashh.org/_userfiles/pages/files/resources/bashh_summary_guidance_on_stis_testing_2023.pdf
2. British Association for Sexual Health and HIV, National guideline on the management of non-gonococcal urethritis, 2026. https://www.bashh.org/_userfiles/pages/files/resources/ngu_2026.pdf
3. British Association for Sexual Health and HIV, National guideline for the management of infection with Mycoplasma genitalium, 2025. https://www.bashh.org/_userfiles/pages/files/bashh_mgen_2025.pdf
4. British Association for Sexual Health and HIV, BASHH position statement on the inappropriate use of multiplex testing platforms, and suboptimal antibiotic treatment regimens for bacterial sexually transmitted infections, 9 November 2021. https://www.bashh.org/resources/72/bashh_position_statement_on_the_inappropriate_use_of_multiplex_testing_platforms_and_suboptimal_anti
5. Horner P, Donders G, Cusini M, et al. Should we be testing for urogenital Mycoplasma hominis, Ureaplasma parvum and Ureaplasma urealyticum in men and women? A position statement from the European STI Guidelines Editorial Board. Journal of the European Academy of Dermatology and Venereology, 2018;32(11):1845-1851. https://doi.org/10.1111/jdv.15146
6. Jonduo ME, Vallely LM, Wand H, et al. Adverse pregnancy and birth outcomes associated with Mycoplasma hominis, Ureaplasma urealyticum and Ureaplasma parvum: a systematic review and meta-analysis. BMJ Open, 2022. https://doi.org/10.1136/bmjopen-2022-062990
7. Huang C, Zhu HL, Xu KR, et al. Mycoplasma and ureaplasma infection and male infertility: a systematic review and meta-analysis. Andrology, 2015;3(5):809-816. https://doi.org/10.1111/andr.12078
8. Tantengco OAG, de Castro Silva M, Velayo CL. The role of genital mycoplasma infection in female infertility: a systematic review and meta-analysis. American Journal of Reproductive Immunology, 2021. https://doi.org/10.1111/aji.13390