Details about E. coli in a smear: causes, symptoms and treatment. What is Escherichia coli - reasons for detection in urine, flora culture and smear, symptoms and treatment

Escherichia coli is called Escherichia coli (E. coli) in Latin and is a species of bacteria that includes pathogenic and non-pathogenic varieties. Pathogenic varieties of Escherichia coli cause infectious and inflammatory diseases of the digestive tract, urinary and reproductive systems in men and women.

What is Escherichia coli?

Escherichia coli is a bacteria belonging to the genus Escherichia and the family Enterobacteriaceae. These microorganisms are highly resistant; they can live for months in water, soil, and feces.

A group of diseases associated with Escherichia coli and caused by pathogenic strains of the bacterium are called Escherichiosis. They act as causes of diseases of the intestines, kidneys and other organs. This creates a number of problems in the field of digestion and the genitourinary system.

Bacteria multiply quickly and well in food, especially in milk, and therefore eating food contaminated and contaminated with E. coli causes infection with the subsequent development of an infectious-inflammatory disease.

Classification

Escherichia coli can be opportunistic (which includes hemolyzing Escherichia coli) and pathogenic. Scientists were able to isolate more than a hundred pathogenic strains of this bacterium, which were subsequently divided into four main classes, namely:

enteroinvasive;
enterotoxigenic;
enteropathogenic;
enterohemorrhagic.

These microorganisms can cause the development of escherichiosis, an infectious disease that, according to statistics, is most often found in children and women (the infection is transmitted by the fecal-oral route, mainly through food or water).

Form	Features of Escherichia coli
Enteropathogenic escherichiosis	Acute intestinal infection caused by an enteropathogenic bacillus. The disease often affects newborns, babies from birth to one year old. Frequent clinical manifestations: vomit, frequent loose stools. The baby begins to spit up frequently and refuses to eat. The child's sleep is disturbed and he becomes restless. The disease is protracted and not intense.
Enterotoxigenic	This type of E. coli damage resembles the picture of food poisoning. Distinctive characteristics: severe and frequent diarrhea, vomit, pain in the abdomen, nausea. The disease affects adults and children of all ages. Often found among travelers.
Enteroinvasive	Enteroinvasive Escherichia coli causes acute foodborne illnesses in children and adults, the course of which is similar to.
Enterohemorrhagic	Enterohemorrhagic (hemolytic, hemolyzing) Escherichia coli causes hemorrhagic colitis in children and adults or hemolytic-uremic syndrome (HUS). Both diseases require treatment.

Reasons for entering the body

E. coli exists and reproduces under ambient temperatures of 37 degrees. It feeds in the intestines with minerals and amino acid breakdown products. Retains its viability when entering water bodies, soil and products.

The genus Escherichia belongs to the Enterobacteriaceae family. The largest group of varieties of microorganisms is beneficial to the body. Some strains are pathogenic in nature - a number of severe food poisoning and genitourinary infections appear. In severe immunodeficiency conditions, when E. coli has spread throughout the body, it can lead to the development of meningitis.

The main reason for contracting intestinal infections is non-compliance with hygiene standards.

There are 2 ways by which the infection is transmitted:

Water. The infection enters the body through drinking unboiled or poor quality water.
Nutritional. It is characterized by ingestion of contaminated food. With this method of infection, food poisoning often occurs in a person who has used contaminated products for cooking. For the human body, such food is poison.

Orally, Escherichia coli enters the intestinal tract from:

dirt on hands;
dirt on vegetables and fruits;
insufficiently thermally processed meat;
contaminated raw water;
raw milk (according to statistics, this method of transmission is the most common).

Contact and household transmission route rare. More often it can be observed during an outbreak of eschechiriasis in a separate room (maternity hospital, hospital, school, etc.). One of the most dangerous ways to become infected with E. coli is through transmission of the infection during childbirth from mother to child.

Symptoms of E. coli

Symptoms of E. coli infection manifest themselves differently, so each class of pathogenic bacteria must be considered separately. The health status of an infected person will depend on which group the E. coli bacteria belong to and at what speed they multiply; the symptoms of the diseases are described below.

General signs of the development of pathogenic E. coli in the body include symptoms such as:

Disturbance of the digestive process;
Pain in the abdominal area;
Vomiting and nausea;
Manifestations;
Unpleasant odor from the mouth;
Weakness;
Drowsiness;
Loss of appetite;
Increased body temperature;
Fall in blood pressure.

Depending on the type of bacteria, a person notices the presence of certain signs.

Symptoms depending on the type of bacteria

Escherichiosis caused by enteroinvasive bacilli, causes damage to the large intestine. The disease develops with the appearance of general intoxication symptoms:

weaknesses,
headache,
chills,
temperature rise.

A few hours later, cramping pain occurs in the lower abdomen.

Diarrhea occurs, the stool is initially watery and profuse. But as the colon becomes damaged, colitis develops.
Symptoms of this condition are frequent loose or pasty stools mixed with mucus and streaked with blood.

This variant of escherichiosis is characterized by a benign course. Temperature and stool return to normal after one to three days.

Intestinal infections caused by enteropathogenic Escherichia coli, in adults and children over 3 years of age, proceed according to the type of salmonellosis. That is, the disease begins acutely:

nausea appears
vomit,
stomach ache,
body temperature rises moderately or slightly.

The stool becomes thin, watery and profuse, and the patient goes to the toilet 2–6 times a day. When defecating, stool literally splashes out. The infection lasts on average for 3 to 6 days, after which recovery occurs.

Enterotoxigenic Escherichia coli They are dangerous because they can attach specifically to the intestinal mucosa, which significantly disrupts its functioning. The infection is transmitted through unwashed hands or fruit, so the symptoms of intestinal bacteria in the human body are sometimes called “traveler's diarrhea,” which is accompanied by:

watery diarrhea without blood,
nausea,
paroxysmal abdominal pain.

Manifestations of enterohemorrhagic infection:

Necrosis;
Presence of blood clots (in stool);
Peritonitis;
Diarrhea (watery stools).

Symptoms of infection in a child are more severe, especially when affecting newborns or children with low body weight.

It can cause diseases in other organs besides the intestines. In the urinary tract, this bacterium can also cause inflammation. In girls and women, this risk is higher than in men, because... they have a short path from the intestine to the urethra.

Complications

Some types of sticks can cause:

poisoning;
colibacillosis;
intestinal dysbiosis;
inflammation of the genitourinary system;
in newborns.

In rare cases, inflammatory diseases can cause complications:

pneumonia;
sepsis;
mastitis.

It is dangerous for any bacteria to enter a woman’s vagina. This leads to inflammation of the genital organs. First, vulvovaginitis or colpitis appears. If the pathogen is not eliminated in time, the infection rises to the fallopian tubes and uterus. Endometritis develops. With the further movement of bacteria up the body, they enter the abdominal cavity, peritonitis is observed.

Disease caused by Escherichia coli manifests itself in different ways and can have a lot of complications on the organs and systems of the body. Therefore, the pathogen must be identified as early as possible and treatment must begin immediately.

Diagnostics

The infection is diagnosed based on bacteriological examination. Often, if there is a rod in the research material, which is the main part of the normal intestinal microflora, it is very difficult to isolate a pure culture of the pathogenic bacterium. If an inflammatory process occurs in the body, urgent treatment is recommended. To obtain the analysis result use:

feces and vomit;
blood;
urine;
pus;
smears or scrapings taken from the mucous membranes of the genital organs.

Treatment of E. coli

Treatment of intestinal infections caused by coli is usually complex and includes the following points:

Antibiotics. Antibacterial therapy forms the basis of treatment for E. coli. A particular drug is prescribed after determining the sensitivity of microorganisms to it. The most commonly recommended antibiotics are the cephalosporin group: Cephelim, Cephalexin, Levofloxacin. The drugs are taken in courses of 5-10 days.
Bacteriophages. These are drugs that kill bacteria more gently and safely than antibiotics, but they are not always effective. Bacteriophages include Sextaphage, Intesti-bacteriophage, etc.
Painkillers. If the abdominal pain is severe, painkillers such as No-shpa, Bral, Spasmalin, Nurofen are prescribed. However, they should not be taken for a long time.
Probiotics (Linex, Bifidumbacterin, etc.) help restore the normal balance of pathogenic and beneficial microorganisms in the intestines.

Treatment of escherichiosis should be carried out in a hospital:

Mild forms of infection do not require the use of antibacterial agents.
For moderate forms of coli infection, antibiotics from the fluoroquinolone group (norfloxacin, ofloxacin) are prescribed.
In severe cases of escherichiosis, drugs from the group of cephalosporins (cefotaxime), fluoroquinolones, together with aminoglycosides are prescribed.

In addition to taking antibiotics, the patient must follow certain treatment rules. If a patient experiences diarrhea or vomiting, he must drink rehydration solutions. With their help, lost fluid and salt are replenished.

With every bowel movement and vomiting need to drink from 300 to 600 milliliters of rehydration solution. For its preparation, pharmaceutical powder in the form of Trisol, Regidron, Glucosolan can be used.

To ensure the highest quality treatment of infectious diseases that arise when E. coli appears, it is recommended to take enterosorbents:

Enterosgel;
Polyphepan;
Smecta;
Filtrum.

Compliance with the diet. E. coli can be cured by following a special diet. The menu should include more porridges cooked in water, slimy soups, boiled vegetables, lean meat and steamed fish.

Prevention

E. coli is destroyed during cooking, baking, and pasteurization. However, this rule applies provided that the temperature is at least 70°C and the process continues for at least 2 minutes. Unlike others, the E.coli bacterium is characterized by resistance to cold, acidic environments, drying and high salt concentrations.

Preventative actions to prevent diseases caused by E. coli:

Maintain personal hygiene: thoroughly wash your hands and face after going outside and in crowded places, a competent approach to intimate hygiene.
Monitoring the purity of consumed raw products and bringing milk and meat to the desired state.
Drink only high quality water.
Use of disposable clothing in hospital settings.
Monitoring the hygiene and health of pets.
Regular cleaning of residential premises using reliable but not aggressive detergents.
Be careful when eating in public catering establishments and while on vacation in hot countries.

Among the many microorganisms inhabiting the human body, Escherichia coli stands out. There are different strains of this bacterium, most of which are harmless and part of the normal intestinal flora. E. coli is necessary for the production of certain vitamins (for example, K) and also for preventing the development of pathogenic microorganisms. However, some strains of E. coli are pathogenic and can cause serious poisoning if they enter the gastrointestinal tract.

If they enter other organs and body cavities, even non-pathogenic strains of E. coli can cause the development of pathologies. What happens to the body if a smear test reveals E. coli in it?

Causes and symptoms of the presence of E. coli in a smear

During a preventive examination by a gynecologist, women undergo a flora smear - an analysis that allows them to assess the composition of the microflora, the presence of pathogenic bacteria in the vagina, and diagnose diseases. In a healthy woman, 95% of the vaginal microflora consists of lactobacilli. E. coli should not normally be present in the smear. The presence of this bacterium in the genital tract may not produce visible symptoms, but most often, in this case, a woman will have a yellowish discharge with an unpleasant odor.

Once in the vagina and multiplying, E. coli disrupts the normal balance of microflora and can cause an inflammatory process. Thus, this bacterium is often the cause of diseases such as bacterial vaginosis, cervicitis, adnexitis, etc. Then the infection easily spreads to the cervix and ovaries. Having penetrated the urethra, E. coli can cause cystitis and also affect the bladder and kidneys.

There are several reasons for the presence of E. coli in a smear:

non-compliance with the rules of intimate hygiene, incorrect washing procedure;
wearing the wrong underwear;
unprotected anal-vaginal intimate relationships.

The presence of E. coli in a smear is especially dangerous for pregnant women, since during childbirth the child can also get an infection through the birth canal.

How to get rid of E. coli?

If E. coli is detected in the smear, then treatment must be started immediately. Treatment is carried out by a gynecologist on an outpatient basis and consists of a course of antibiotics lasting about 7 days.

Before prescribing medications, as a rule, the sensitivity of bacteria to certain antibiotics is determined. This is a very important procedure for effective treatment, since some strains of E. coli may be resistant to various types of drugs.

If a woman is pregnant, then antibiotics are prescribed that are approved for use during this period and do not affect the growth and development of the fetus. Strict adherence to all doctor’s recommendations will help avoid negative consequences.

After a course of antibacterial therapy, it is recommended to take drugs that promote recovery normal balance of microflora (probiotics). Local immunomodulators can also be prescribed to help restore the protective functions of the vaginal walls.

The human body contains a huge amount of bacterial microflora. Most bacteria are saprophytes, bacteria that coexist with the host’s body without causing disease, but on the contrary, bringing benefits. Escherichia coli or Escherichia collie is a vivid representative of such cohabitation.

The normal habitat for E. coli is the intestines. Being here, Escherichia collie fully fulfills its positive functions:

- E. collie is an antagonist (irreconcilable enemy) in relation to pathogens of intestinal infections (Shigella, Salmonella, putrefactive microbes).
- Actively participates in the formation of local immunity.
- Helps in the synthesis of vitamins B, K, folic acid, nicotinic acid.
- Takes part in water-salt and lipid metabolic processes.
- Promotes intestinal function (improves peristalsis and nutrient absorption processes; helps break down complex carbohydrates).

As you can see, E. coli is a positive bacterium from all sides. But we must not forget that Escherichia colli is called an opportunistic organism. Why?

The fact is that in case of decreased immunity, or when it enters other parts of the body, E. coli causes diseases. Representatives of the fair sex, young children, and elderly people are at risk. In cases with children and the elderly, the occurrence of diseases is more influenced by low immunity. It is worth understanding why women also fall into this risk zone.

Causes

The anatomical structure of a woman increases the chances of E. coli entering the genitourinary system (the vagina and anus are located nearby). This happens under the influence of many factors.

Decreased immunity. In a completely healthy woman, the vaginal microflora performs protective functions and completely suppresses the growth of pathogenic (disease-causing) flora.

However, in the event of a decrease in local (dysbacteriosis) or general immunity of a woman, the vaginal microflora is not able to destroy the offender. And Escherichia collie, when it gets into a humid and warm environment, begins to multiply, causing inflammatory processes in the vagina.

Violation of hygiene measures. Incorrect washing process (washing the genitals from the anus to the pubis), rare washings without the use of detergents (soap, special gels) help E. coli enter the vagina. Wearing very tight, tight and synthetic underwear, using common hygiene items (towel, washcloths, etc.).

Passion for anal sex. Failure to follow basic safety rules during anal sex (sex without a condom, without changing the condom after inserting the penis into the anus) leads to insemination of E. coli first in the penis and then in the vagina. It is also possible for a man to develop inflammation of the urethra, followed by the development of inflammatory processes in the prostate and kidneys.

Ladies entering menopause have the highest risk of insemination with E. coli. This is due to decreased immunity, changes in hormonal levels, and age-related changes in the vaginal microflora.

What is the danger of getting E. coli into the genitourinary system?

E. coli, entering the vagina and urethra, cause inflammation of these organs. Subsequently, the infection can rise higher and cause damage to the bladder (cystitis) and kidneys (pyelonephritis).

Detection of E. coli in a smear in women during pregnancy can threaten the health of the child. E. coli is unable to overcome the placental barrier. However, there is a possibility of E. coli entering the child’s body during labor (the passage of the child through the birth canal). As a result, the newborn may develop meningitis.

Symptoms

If E. coli enters the vagina or urethra slightly, there will be no symptoms. The body will suppress the growth of these bacteria. However, if E. colli colonies grow, an inflammatory process develops. Depending on the generalization of the process, the following manifestations of the disease occur:

Frequent, painful urination (symptoms of cystitis - inflammation of the bladder).
Copious vaginal discharge. The discharge may be white or yellowish. These are symptoms of vaginitis (colpitis) - inflammation of the vagina.
Pain during sexual intercourse, loss of sexual desire.
Lethargy, weakness, headache, fever (symptoms of intoxication).

It is almost impossible to detect the presence of E. coli in a simple microflora smear. The development of the inflammatory process will be indicated by the high level of leukocytes as a result of the analysis.

Therefore, if the level of leukocytes is high, a bacterial culture is always prescribed, which will show E. coli. Simultaneously with the identification of the pathogen, an antibiotic sensitivity analysis will be carried out (this will be necessary to prescribe the most effective treatment).

In cases where a smear of Escherichia coli is detected in the culture up to 104 CFU/ml and the vaginal microflora is good, treatment is not necessary. But if the microflora is weak, or the indicators exceed the norm, then a course of treatment is necessary.

Treatment

Treatment is prescribed on a strictly individual basis, based on the results of bacterial culture. Antibiotics are prescribed according to the degree of sensitivity. That is why you cannot self-medicate; the wrong antibiotic will not destroy the infection, but will weaken the defenses of your own microflora. As a result, the infection will penetrate deeper and cause more severe inflammation. Treatment with bacteriophages (literally “devouring bacteria”) will show a good effect.

Proper adherence to personal hygiene measures will enhance the effect of treatment. It is recommended to wash with a decoction of chamomile and calendula. These herbs have pronounced anti-inflammatory and calming effects.

To increase local immunity, vaginal suppositories (Acylat, Vaginorm) and douching with medicinal solutions are used. It would be useful to use drugs that eliminate dysbacteriosis: Linex, Bifiform and others.

During the treatment period you must follow the following diet:

You should avoid fatty, fried, salty and smoked foods.
Any baked goods made from yeast dough are also prohibited.
Pickled foods (cabbage, cucumbers) should be temporarily excluded from the diet.
Beer, wine and other alcohol are prohibited during treatment.
It is allowed to eat boiled and steamed food. Use non-fat meat.
It is necessary to introduce yoghurts (natural) and biokefir into the diet. This will help restore normal intestinal microflora (and therefore improve immunity).

If the general condition is not severely disturbed, then treatment is carried out on an outpatient basis. At the end of the treatment cycle, repeat tests must be taken.

Prevention

As you know, any disease is easier to prevent than to cure. Therefore, prevention is everything to us! First of all, it is necessary to carefully observe personal hygiene measures. Regular, proper washing of the perineum and genitals will prevent E. coli from entering the vagina. Avoid synthetic, tight underwear. It is better to replace thongs with slip panties made from natural fabrics. Try not to use other people's towels, washcloths, razors, etc.

If possible, avoid anal sex. Or protect yourself as much as possible: use a change of condoms after inserting the penis into the anus.

Visit your gynecologist regularly. The frequency of visits should be at least 2 times a year (once every 6 months). This frequency of visits will allow timely detection of the development of pathological conditions and take appropriate measures.

Maintaining normal immunity is of no small importance. To do this, it is recommended to eat properly (abstain from fatty and unhealthy foods, increase the amount of fruit in the diet, introduce vegetables, fish, lean meats, etc.), spend more time in the fresh air, play sports and exercise.

Timely treatment of diseases by specialists is of great importance for maintaining normal microflora of the body. Self-medication, namely the illiterate use of antibiotics, leads to the emergence of strains of bacteria that are resistant to most known antibiotics. Emerging diseases caused by such superbugs are very difficult and take a long time to treat.

In men, E. coli lives in the rectum, near the exit from the anus. If hygiene is not observed, it can easily get into other organs.

This bacterium is beneficial if it is present in sufficient quantities to take part in the synthesis of vitamins.

Diseases

When it enters certain organs, it causes various infectious diseases.

If found in feces, it means it came from the intestines.
In urine there is a pathology of the urinary system.
A smear from the urethra shows inflammation of the testicle or its appendages.
Provokes prostatitis.

To avoid getting infected you need to:

Keep the groin area clean.
Avoid unprotected coitus.
After sex, take a shower.
Wear neat, comfortable clothes.

Causes

There are also food pathogenic strains of intestinal microbes. Ways of infection are spoiled food, contaminated water. To avoid infection you need to:

Pay attention to the labeling of the products you buy. Expired ones are a source of infection.
Wash your hands after using the toilet and going outside, and before eating.
Drink purified water. Microbes live and multiply in dirty conditions.
Wash food by pouring boiling water over it.
After handling your beloved pets or working with the soil, disinfect your hands.

Kinds

The intestinal microbe has more than 100 strains. Conventionally, they can be divided into 4 rows.

Enterohemorrhagic. When it becomes infected, enterocolitis develops and the urethra is affected. Symptoms:

Severe pain in the abdominal area, thin bleeding.
A sharp increase in temperature (up to 39 °C).
All signs of intoxication appear - nausea, vomiting.
The infection enters the kidneys through the urethra. Kidney failure and pyelonephritis develop.
The stick can damage the liver.

At the beginning there are no symptoms; the disease can only be determined by research. A urine test shows the presence of protein. Hemoglobin drops.

Enteropathogenic is very rare. Sometimes it can penetrate, causing nausea, loss of appetite, insomnia, and abdominal pain.

Enterotoxigenic– characterized by the fact that the bacterium is located in the rectum. The stool with this infection is very watery, but without blood. I suffer from nausea and vomiting. Found in smears in men.

Interinvasive similar to dysentery. These include frequent urge to go to the toilet, loose stools with blood, nausea, and vomiting.

What is common to all types of E. coli is that when it enters the body, it multiplies intensively and toxins are released, causing diarrhea, nausea, and vomiting. The intestines suffer the most.

The infection affects the genitourinary system, liver, and kidneys. Symptoms appear over several days, the incubation period of infection is about a week.

In a smear

An infectious disease specialist takes bacteriological material during an appointment. The man does not feel any signs of illness, but a smear analysis shows the presence of inflammation.

We need to start treatment urgently. The infection quickly spreads through the genitourinary system and affects the genitals. May cause inflammation of the prostate and kidneys. E. coli can be treated with antibiotics as an inpatient in an infectious diseases hospital.

In a mild form of infection, male thrush occurs. The reason may be unprotected sex and lack of cleanliness. To prevent candidiasis you must:

Do not neglect personal hygiene.
Use gels for intimate areas.
Be sure to shower after sexual intercourse using special antibacterial agents.

In urine

In the bladder, the infection does not manifest itself for a long time. Very rarely the body copes with the problem itself, but in most cases the stick causes cystitis:

Symptoms of the disease:

Burning in the urethra.
Fever, chills.
Urine has an unpleasant odor.
Drawing pain in the lower back.

If symptoms of infection appear, a course of antibiotics will be required, which will be selected by the doctor. By contacting a specialist in a timely manner, you will get rid of complications.

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Detection of Escherichia coli (Escherichia Coli) in smears in men raises many questions, both among the men themselves and their partners. Often, men do not take the time to go to the doctor, find laboratories where they do a smear without a referral, and after receiving the results they begin to treat themselves. This is an extremely incorrect and even dangerous approach.

Looking ahead, let's say that simply identifying E. coli in a smear from the urethra does not carry any information; additional examination is necessary, which can only be prescribed by a doctor. But treatment is not always necessary.

Escherichia coli is the most studied bacterium on earth. E.Coli is a gram-negative bacterium with an elongated shape. E. coli lives mainly in the lower parts of the large intestine, and not only in humans, but also in all warm-blooded animals.

Most of its strains belong to the normal intestinal microflora. They suppress the proliferation of dangerous pathogenic bacteria, participate in the synthesis of certain vitamins, and in the digestion of food. These are non-pathogenic strains. Living in the intestines, they bring only benefits. Getting into other organs, they can cause diseases, but only with a significant decrease in protective forces. Non-pathogenic strains of E. coli can normally be present in the vagina, as well as in the male urethra.

However, pathogenic species of this bacterium are also isolated. When multiplying in the body, these species secrete enterotoxin, which causes serious diseases - escherichiosis. The disease occurs as an intestinal infection (abdominal pain, diarrhea, nausea, intoxication), inflammation of the genitourinary system, and less commonly, it causes meningitis, peritonitis, mastitis, pneumonia, sepsis.

How does E. coli get into the urethra?

Up to 80% of diseases of the genitourinary system are caused by E. coli. These are prostatitis, urethritis, cystitis, pyelonephritis, orchiepididymitis. And it almost always enters these organs via an ascending route, that is, from the urethra.

E.Coli enters the urethra through contact from the environment:

from the anal canal if proper hygiene is not observed (see);
during anal sex;
less often - from other sources (for example, swimming in open water).

In women, E. coli in smears from the cervical canal and urethra is more common, but in healthy men it is detected in 25-30% of cases.

E.Coli infection is not a sexually transmitted infection. Does this infection need to be treated?

In what cases is a smear taken from men?

The study of urethral discharge is different. A man himself consults a doctor, usually with existing complaints and much less often for preventive purposes. Common complaints among men are:

pain and stinging when urinating;
not previously observed;
redness of the external opening of the urethra;
rashes on the penis;
pain during sexual intercourse.

A man’s natural desire is to exclude STDs. All men who turn to a urologist, andrologist or venereologist are prescribed for the presence of inflammatory changes and microbial flora. A narrow sterile swab is inserted 2-3 cm into the urethra, then the resulting material is applied to a glass slide, dried and sent to the laboratory. There it is stained and examined under a regular microscope.

A smear can also be prescribed in the absence of complaints:

When vaginitis is detected in a sexual partner.
When examining a couple regarding childlessness.
Before urological operations or manipulations.

What a laboratory technician can see:

leukocytes (normally there should be no more than 5 in the field of view);
red blood cells (no more than 2-3);
epithelial cells (no more than 10);
mucus (moderate amount);
cocci or Escherichia coli (normally single in the preparation);
fungi;
gonococci (see);

If there are inflammatory changes (a large number of leukocytes, erythrocytes, epithelial cells, mucus), but gonococci and trichomonas are not detected, they are prescribed to identify chlamydia, mycoplasmosis, genital herpes, as well as culture of urethral secretions on nutrient media.

When can Escherichia Coli cause harm?

Why is it that in some men the presence of E. coli in the urethra is asymptomatic, while in others it causes various diseases? When E.Coli enters the urethra, several options for its further development are possible:

Temporary carriage - the bacterium “lives” in the genitourinary tract for some time and is eliminated by the body’s defenses.
Permanent asymptomatic carriage: the bacterium persists in the genitourinary tract, but its growth is inhibited by the same protective factors.
Intensive reproduction and development of the disease.

Predisposing factors to the development of the disease when infected with Escherichia coli are:

Treatment of E.Coli in men

The first question that should be asked when E. coli is detected in a smear in men: to treat or not to treat?

If an examination accidentally reveals E. coli, but nothing bothers the man and there are no inflammatory changes in the smear, there is no need to treat such carriage. In the absence of complaints, treatment should be prescribed only before surgical manipulations on the genitourinary organs.

But even if a man shows signs of an inflammatory process, this does not mean that it is caused by the detected E.Coli. It can often accompany other infections. Therefore, men with various inflammatory processes in the urogenital tract should always be examined for all sexually transmitted infections.

In practice it usually happens like this:

Treatment of the partner is indicated only if she has clinical signs of inflammation.

Why is self-medication dangerous??

E. coli is an opportunistic pathogen; it can be present in smears without causing any harm. There is no need to treat such carriage.

Taking antibiotics without a doctor's prescription will lead to dysbiosis, as well as an increase in bacterial resistance. It turns out that the antibiotic will kill the harmless bacillus, but other strains that are insensitive to this drug will become active. Then treatment, if it is really needed, will be much more difficult.

In addition, under the cover of E. coli, other infections may be hiding that are not detected by microscopy. If they are not detected in time, you may waste time with treatment that is ineffective for such infections.

Only a specialist can prescribe the correct examination and treatment plan.