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Risk factors
By Mayo Clinic staff
Sexually transmitted epididymitis
Several factors increase your risk of getting epididymitis caused by an STD, including:
- High-risk sexual behaviors, such as having multiple sex partners, having sex with a partner with an STD and having sex without a condom.
- Personal history of an STD. You're at increased risk of an infection that causes epididymitis if you've had an STD in the past.
Non-STD infections
Several things increase your risk of epididymitis caused by an infection other than an STD, including:
- Past prostate or urinary tract infections. Chronic urinary tract infections or prostate infections are linked to bacterial infections that can cause epididymitis.
- An uncircumcised penis or an anatomical abnormality of the urinary tract. These conditions increase your risk of epididymitis caused by a bacterial infection.
- Medical procedures that affect the urinary tract. Procedures such as surgery or having a urinary catheter or scope inserted into the penis can introduce bacteria into the genital-urinary tract, leading to infection.
- Prostate enlargement. Having an enlarged prostate that obstructs bladder function and causes urine to remain in the bladder puts you at higher risk of bladder infections, which increases the risk of epididymitis.
References
- Tracy CR, et al. Diagnosis and management of epididymitis. Urologic Clinics of North America. 2008;35:101.
- Nickel JC. Inflammatory conditions of the male genitourinary tract: Prostatitis and related conditions, orchitis, and epididymitis. In: Wein AJ. Campbell-Walsh Urology. 9th ed. Philadelphia, Pa.: Saunders Elsevier; 2007. http://www.mdconsult.com/das/book/body/153597350-6/873677046/1445/12.html#4-u1.0-B978-0-7216-0798-6..50011-X_746. Accessed Aug. 7, 2008.
- Fort GG. Epididymitis. In: Ferri FF. Ferri's Clinical Advisor 2009. St. Louis, Mo.: Mosby; 2008. http://www.mdconsult.com/das/book/body/153597350-3/873676567/1701/204.html#4-u1.0-B978-0-323-04134-8..50008-2--subchapter20_4323. Accessed Aug. 7, 2008.
- Brenner JS, et al. Causes of scrotal pain in children and adolescents. http://www.uptodate.com/home/index.html. Accessed Aug. 7, 2008.
- Eyre RC. Evaluation of the acute scrotum in adult men http://www.uptodate.com/home/index.html. Accessed Aug. 7, 2008.
