Mycoplasma Genitalium

The STI No One Tests For and the One Most People Should Know About

Mycoplasma genitalium is the most common infection people have never heard of. That would be a harmless detail if it were rare. It is not. It is real. It is common. It spreads quietly. And it is almost never included in routine STI testing. This means the majority of people who carry MG have been told they are negative simply because no one checked correctly.

MG is not a rare infection. It is an overlooked infection.

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Why Most People Never Get Tested For MG

The biggest problem is not the infection itself. The problem is that most providers do not include MG in routine STI testing. Someone can walk into a clinic, confidently ask for a full panel, give a urine sample, and leave believing everything has been checked. It has not. MG is not part of routine testing at urgent care centers, public clinics, or most primary care offices. Even many telemedicine companies skip it entirely.

You cannot detect something you never look for. And for most people, MG is never looked for.

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What MG Actually Is

Mycoplasma genitalium is a small, slow-growing bacterium with one important structural difference. It does not have a cell wall. Most bacteria do, which is why so many common antibiotics work by attacking that wall. MG has no such wall. Penicillin does nothing. Cephalosporins do nothing. Broad spectrum antibiotics often do nothing.

This is why people get treated repeatedly for nonspecific urethritis or recurring UTIs with medications that have zero ability to cure MG. The wrong treatments keep being used because no one realized MG was the real cause.

MG is slow, stubborn, and persistent. Once it is in the body, it stays until someone specifically tests for it and uses the correct medications.

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Where MG Lives in the Body

MG is primarily a urethral infection. That is why urine based testing is effective and why urine captures the most clinically relevant site for detection. MG can technically appear in other locations, but the urethra is where it reliably shows up during real world transmission. This is why urine NAAT testing is the most practical and validated approach for diagnosing MG.

Many people test negative for common STIs and assume everything is fine. If they never test for MG, they remain infected without knowing it.

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What Symptoms MG Causes

MG often produces no symptoms at all. People can feel completely normal and still carry it. When symptoms do occur, they are almost always vague or easily mistaken for something else.

Men often feel a lingering UTI sensation. A slight burn during urination. A small amount of urethral irritation. A feeling that something is not quite right. Symptoms come and go, which gives a false sense of improvement.

Women may experience cervicitis, spotting, pelvic discomfort, or irritation that gets misdiagnosed as yeast or BV. Many women are told repeatedly that their symptoms are hormonal or related to stress. MG is rarely suspected unless specifically tested.

Because MG is often quiet, people are unaware that the tissues are inflamed and vulnerable.

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How MG Increases the Risk of HIV and Other STIs

MG inflames the tissues it infects. Even when symptoms feel mild or nonexistent, the inflammation is real. This inflammation creates microscopic disruptions in the mucosal barrier. These small openings make it easier for pathogens to enter the body.

This is why untreated MG increases the likelihood of acquiring HIV. Inflamed tissue allows HIV to cross the epithelial barrier more efficiently, even with low levels of exposure. The person feels fine, but the protective barrier meant to shield them has been weakened.

The same mechanism increases susceptibility to other bacterial STIs like gonorrhea and chlamydia. Once inflammation breaks down the barrier, pathogens require far less exposure to establish infection.

Treating MG removes the organism and the inflammation that increases vulnerability. MG is not only important for symptom relief but also for genuine prevention.

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The Confusion With Mycoplasma Hominis and Ureaplasma

A major source of confusion in sexual health is the tendency to lump MG together with Mycoplasma hominis and Ureaplasma species. These organisms are not interchangeable.

Mycoplasma genitalium is a true sexually transmitted pathogen. It causes urethritis, cervicitis, pelvic inflammatory disease, and increases HIV acquisition risk. When detected, it should be treated.

Mycoplasma hominis is different. It is often normal flora. Many completely healthy people carry it, including those with no sexual activity. It is not treated unless very rare clinical circumstances are present, such as postpartum infections.

Ureaplasma species, including Ureaplasma urealyticum and Ureaplasma parvum, are also common normal flora. Even virgins can carry them. A positive qualitative test means little. Only extremely high counts combined with clear symptoms may justify treatment, and that requires quantitative testing that most clinics do not offer.

MG is the one that matters as an STI. Mycoplasma hominis and Ureaplasma are usually harmless passengers. Confusing them leads to unnecessary antibiotics and incorrect assumptions.

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Why MG Gets Missed Again and Again

People get tested. Their tests come back negative. They go home relieved. Their symptoms remain. Providers guess. More antibiotics are prescribed. More negative tests return. The cycle repeats. The person starts to believe the problem is psychological or unrelated to sexual health.

It is not. MG was simply never tested.

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Testing for MG

MG requires an FDA cleared NAAT test. This is a molecular level test that identifies MG’s genetic material. Shameless Care uses urine based NAAT testing because it is the most validated and practical way to detect MG in real world cases. The urethra is the primary site where MG lives during sexual transmission, and urine reliably captures it without the need for swabs or clinic visits.

This makes the process simple and accessible. No appointments required. No invasive sampling. Just a clean, accurate test that looks for an infection most clinics ignore entirely.

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Treatment Included With Testing

When someone tests positive for MG through Shameless Care, treatment is included. There are no extra fees. No separate appointments. No need to search for a provider who understands MG or knows how to treat it.

Our physicians review the results, determine the correct treatment sequence, and send two prescriptions to the patient’s preferred local pharmacy. MG requires a specific order of medications for effective clearance, and our medical team follows the CDC recommended protocol to ensure the infection is cured safely and correctly.

The point of offering MG testing is not just to diagnose the infection. The point is to solve it.

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The Real Point

Mycoplasma genitalium is not a rare infection. It is a routinely missed infection. People have it for months or years without knowing. They experience vague symptoms that never fully resolve. They test negative for everything they are told to test for, and no one ever explains why the problem continues.

MG finally explains it.

People deserve testing that matches their real lives. People deserve clear answers instead of repeated confusion. People deserve providers who understand the difference between MG, Mycoplasma hominis, and Ureaplasma. And people deserve treatment that actually works once the infection is identified.

MG is real. MG is common. MG matters. And once you understand it, the entire landscape of recurring or confusing symptoms finally makes sense.