Mycoplasma genitalium is a type of bacteria passed on through sex. Treatment is available, but the infection can also clear up on its own. Most people who have it never notice it or experience any health problems. When it causes symptoms, they can include burning when you urinate, discharge if you have a penis, and bleeding after sex if you have a cervix. Less often, it can lead to pelvic inflammatory disease, an infection of the womb and fallopian tubes.
It is diagnosed with a urine sample or a swab, which you can collect yourself, and it's treated with a course of antibiotics. UK, US and European guidelines do not recommend routine screening: antibiotic resistance is common, and treating an infection that is often harmless can increase resistance. Testing is mainly advised when symptoms persist after other infections have been ruled out, and for sexual partners of people who test positive.
If you test positive, tell anyone you are still having sex with, as they may need testing too.
