A sexually transmitted infection, commonly called Mgen, is popping up in Cuyahoga County – and the county board of health is improving its resources to respond to the bacteria.
Mgen, or Mycoplasma genitalium, is a lesser-known STI. Over the past year and a half, it began showing up at about the same rate as gonorrhea in the Cuyahoga County Board of Health’s reproductive and sexual health clinics, said Kelly Stake, a women’s health nurse practitioner at the clinics. Six people have tested positive at the clinics since 2024, she said.
MGen symptoms include vaginal or penile discharge and a burning sensation when urinating, according to the Centers for Disease Control. Left untreated, it can cause serious health problems in women, such as infertility.
Stake said the infection is not well-known because the CDC doesn’t recommend routinely screening for it, as they do gonorrhea, chlamydia or syphilis. Because of this, providers don’t have to collect and report data on Mgen to state or federal health departments.
But staff at the board of health’s weekly sexual health clinics began looking for it after they treated one patient’s lingering Mgen symptoms multiple times.
“After that case, where we were really following him closely, it really brought MGen to the forefront of all of our awareness at the clinic,” Stake said.
In May, the clinic requested that the county Board of Health begin carrying a type of antibiotic often used to treat Mgen.
“This antibiotic can be really hard for my under-insured and no-insurance patients to obtain,” Stake said. “So to get rid of that barrier of a pharmacy and having to have insurance, I asked that we carry this medication in-house.”
The County Board of Health approved the request and will now carry the medication, moxifoxacin.
The CDC doesn’t recommend proactively screening for Mgen for several reasons, Stake said. Patients sometimes test positive for Mgen without showing any symptoms, and those patients are often able to fight the infection on their own, she said. That’s especially important because the bacteria that makes up Mgen are highly susceptible to antibiotic resistance.
“Resistance, it’s such a concern with Mgen that overtreating becomes a huge problem,” Stake said.
Stake recommends anyone exhibiting persistent symptoms get screened for the infection.
What are the symptoms of Mgen?
According to the CDC, symptoms of the STI can include:
- Vaginal discharge
- A burning sensation when peeing
- Discharge from the penis
- Pain/bleeding after sex
But many people with MGen don’t present symptoms, Stake said.
How does Mgen spread?
It can spread via sex without a condom with someone who has the infection, according to the CDC. A person with Mgen can pass the infection to someone even when they have no signs or symptoms.
“The best way to prevent any STI is condoms – wearing them the correct way, with every single sexual encounter,” Stake said.
What is the test?
Screening for Mgen is similar to testing for other STIs. Mgen testing can be done with a urine sample or a cervical, urethral or rectal swab.
What is the treatment?
Antibiotics are typically used to treat Mgen, according to the CDC.
What happens if I don’t get treated for Mgen?
Without treatment, Mgen can cause difficult complications, according to the Cleveland Clinic. That includes:
- Cervicitis (inflammation of the cervix)
- Ectopic pregnancy (when a fertilized egg implants outside of the uterus)
- Female infertility
- Pelvic inflammatory disease (an infection that occurs in your uterus, fallopian tubes or ovaries)
- Proctitis (inflammation in your rectum)
- Urethritis (inflammation of your urethra)
How can I visit Cuyahoga County’s reproductive and sexual health clinic?
The Cuyahoga County Board of Health operates two reproductive and sexual health clinics at different locations and different times. Call 216-201-2041 to make an appointment.
Parma
5550 Venture Dr., Parma, 44130
Reproductive and sexual health appointments are available on Tuesdays from 10:30 a.m. to 6 p.m.
Warrensville Heights
4200 Warrensville Center Rd., Suite 344, Warrensville Heights, 44122
Reproductive and sexual health appointments are available on Mondays and Fridays from 8:30 a.m. to 4 p.m.