In individuals assigned female at birth, complications can lead to pelvic inflammatory disease, chronic pelvic pain, vaginitis, mucopurulent cervicitis, and miscarriages. Causes
The disease is classified as either gonococcal urethritis, caused by Neisseria gonorrhoeae, or non-gonococcal urethritis (NGU), most commonly caused by Chlamydia trachomatis, which is accounted for 20-50% of routinely tested cases. NGU, sometimes called nonspecific urethritis (NSU), has both infectious and noninfectious causes. Other causes include:
Mycoplasma genitalium: second most common cause accounting for 15-20% of non-gonococcal urethritis
Trichomonas vaginalis: accounts for 2-13% of cases in the US; infection is mainly asymptomatic in most cases
Adenoviridae
Uropathogenic Escherichia coli (UPEC)
Herpes simplex virus
Cytomegalovirus
Reactive arthritis: urethritis is part of the triad of reactive arthritis, which includes arthritis, urethritis, and conjunctivitis. Ureaplasma urealyticum
Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus
Group B streptococcus
Irritation of the genital area: for example catheter-induced, physical activity, tight clothing or soaps
Fungal urethritis in immunosuppressed individual
Menopause

Diagnosis
Urethritis is usually diagnosed through collecting history on the individual and through a physical examination. In AFAB individuals, urethritis can be diagnosed with a number of tests including: urine test, blood test, vaginal culture, cytoscopy, or a nucleic acid test. AFAB individuals will also have abdominal and pelvic exams to check for urethral discharge, and tenderness of the lower abdomen or urethra.In AMAB individuals, urethritis is diagnosed by at least one of the following: mucopurulent or purulent urethral discharge on examination,  ≥ 2 white blood cells per oil immersion field from a Gram stain of a urethral swab, or positive leukocyte esterase and/or ≥10 white blood cells per high power field of the first-void urine.
Urethritis is the inflammation of the urethra. The most common symptoms include painful or difficult urination and urethral discharge. It is a commonly treatable condition usually caused by infection with bacteria. This bacterial infection is often sexually transmitted, but not in every instance; it can be idiopathic, for example. Some incidence of urethritis can appear asymptomatic as well. Symptoms and signs
Symptoms vary based on the cause of the diseases. For infectious causes of urethritis, symptoms may start a few weeks to several months after infection. Non-infectious causes of urethritis commonly show symptoms after a few days. Common symptoms include painful urination, continuous urge to urinate, itching and, urethral discharge. Additional symptoms vary based on assigned sex at birth. AMAB (assigned male at birth) individuals may experience blood in the urine or semen, itching, tenderness, or swelling of the penis, enlarged lymph nodes in the groin area, and/or pain with intercourse or ejaculation. AFAB (assigned female at birth) may experience abdominal pain, pelvic pain, pain with intercourse, or vaginal discharge. Non-gonococcal urethritis typically does not have noticeable symptoms in AFAB individuals, however, the infection can spread to parts of the reproductive system. Complications
Serious, yet rare complications associated with Neisseria gonorrhea, may include penile edema, abscessed tissue surrounding the urethra, urethral strictures such as scarring, and penile lymphangitis. If left untreated, the bacteria that cause non-gonococcal urethritis can lead to various complications. In individuals assigned male at birth, complications can lead to epididymitis, reactive arthritis, conjunctivitis, skin lesions, and discharge.