| Male accessory gland infection | |
| Synonyms: | Male accessory gland inflammation |
| Field: | Urology |
Male accessory gland infection (MAGI) is a condition with signs of inflammation involving one or more sites in the male genital tract. Diagnosis is made according to parameters defined by the World Health Organization, and it is particularly made in relation to infectious or inflammatory causes of male infertility.
Although it is usually caused by infection spreading from the urethra, non-infectious causes also exist.
Along with testicles (orchitis), MAGI includes infections (bacterial, viral, fungal etc.) involving one or more of the following male genital organs or tracts:
As infection has a negative impact on the secretory function of the accessory glands, findings that could indicate the presence of MAGI include:
MAGI can be diagnosed when there are two or more factors present that meet criteria defined by the World Health Organization (WHO):
| Factors | Description | For positive diagnosis | |
|---|---|---|---|
| A | History of:
Physical signs:
| (i) Any one Factor A feature plus (ii) one feature from either Factor B or Factor C | |
| B | Prostatic fluid:
| (i) Either one of the Factor B features plus (ii) one feature from either Factor A or Factor C | |
| C | Semen:
| Any two Factor C features or (i) any one Factor C featureplus (ii) one feature from either Factor A or Factor B |
One study has proposed that elevated levels of soluble urokinase-type plasminogen activator receptor (SuPAR) in seminal plasma might be useful as a marker for MAGI.
The main infectious agents are Enterobacteriaceae (such as Escherichia coli and Klebsiella), Neisseria gonorrhoeae, and Chlamydia trachomatis.
One study has shown that men with MAGI who have lower serum levels of total testosterone tend to have a more complicated form of MAGI, such as involving more than one site, than those with normal levels.
Potential complications include:
These complications can result insexual dysfunction and male subfertility.