What Are The Signs, Symptoms And Diagnosis Of Chronic Bacterial Prostatitis?

The second category of prostatitis is Chronic bacterial prostatitis. It is a bacterial infection of the prostate gland. It should be distinguished from other forms of prostatitis such as acute bacterial prostatitis and chronic pelvic pain syndrome (CPPS).

Signs and Symptoms

Chronic bacterial prostatitis is a relatively rare condition — occurs in less than 5% of patients with prostate-related non-BPH lower urinary tract symptoms (LUTS) — that usually presents with an intermittent UTI-type picture and that is defined as recurrent urinary tract infections in men originating from a chronic infection in the prostate.

Dr. Weidner, Professor of Medicine, Department of Urology, University of Gießen, has stated: "In studies of 656 men, we seldom found chronic bacterial prostatitis. It is truly a rare disease. Most of those were E-coli." Symptoms may be completely absent until there is also bladder infection, and the most troublesome problem is usually recurrent cystitis.

Diagnosis

In chronic bacterial prostatitis there are bacteria in the prostate but usually no symptoms. The prostate infection is diagnosed by culturing urine as well as prostate fluid (expressed prostatic secretions or EPS) which are obtained by the doctor doing a rectal exam and putting pressure on the prostate. If no fluid is recovered after this prostatic massage, a post massage urine should also contain any prostatic bacteria. Prostate specific antigen levels may be elevated, although there is no malignancy. Semen analysis is a useful diagnostic tool.