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Centres of Excellence -> Urology -> Urological Swabs

Urological Swabs

What are urological swabs and why are they done? 

Urological swabs are an important diagnostic tool used by urologists to detect the presence of sexually transmitted diseases and various other infections in the urogenital system.

Symptoms of sexually transmitted diseases vary between women and men, and it often happens that a person has no symptoms at all. When they do appear, they are usually more pronounced in women than in men, such as difficult and painful urination, burning sensation during urination, pain during sexual intercourse, and growths on the skin of the genital area. In men, pain and burning during urination, discharge from the penis, pain in the testicular area, chronic fatigue, and muscle and joint pain are more common.

Sexually transmitted diseases can be successfully treated. An important step in the treatment process is diagnosing the presence of a sexually transmitted infection, which is done precisely by taking swabs. Therefore, urological swabs are extremely important for establishing an accurate diagnosis and selecting appropriate treatment.

Types of urological swabs 

In our Urology Center, we perform the following types of urological swabs:

  •  Preputial swab for HPV
  •  Urethral swab for aerobes and anaerobes
  •  Urethral swab for Chlamydia
  •  Urethral swab for Mycoplasma
  •  Urethral swab for Ureaplasma
  •  Urethral swab for HPV
  •  PCR urogenital swab

How is testing for sexually transmitted diseases performed?

The swab can be taken from different genital regions, and based on that, the testing procedure also varies:

  • Urethral swab

Most commonly performed in men, but can also be done in women to detect sexually transmitted infections. It is an uncomfortable yet safest method to confirm the presence of infection. A thin stick with a moistened cotton tip is inserted about 2-3 cm into the urethra (urinary tube) of a man after retracting the foreskin beneath the glans penis. In women, the swabbing procedure is almost entirely painless, conducted by separating the labia while obtaining the swab. Although uncomfortable, the urethral swabbing process takes only a few seconds.

  • Preputial swab (the skin covering the upper part of the penis)

This swab collection is simple, fast, and painless. It is performed in men when the presence of bacteria is noticed on the surface of the penis, typically due to the appearance of some physical change on the penis.

  • PCR urogenital swab

PCR diagnostics provides greater specificity and sensitivity compared to other laboratory methods.

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