Asymptomatic non-specific urethritis.

Non-specific urethritis is without doubt the commonest form of urethritis in men. The reported figures of cases of non-gonococcal urethritis for England and Wales, since they were first recorded separately in 1951, have steadily increased from 10,794 to 35,721 in 1968 (Department of Health and Social Security, 1969). The majority of these cases of non-gonococcal urethritis are non-specific in nature. It is a common impression that the diagnosed cases of non-specific urethritis (NSU) are likely to represent only the tip of the iceberg, as it is well known that the condition can be mild and asymptomatic. Although NSU may be found on routine examination in asymptomatic patients who attend holding their urine for variable times, milder cases may be detected only after the patient has held his urine overnight. The present investigation was designed to estimate the incidence of asymptomatic NSU found by early morning examination in men attending a venereal disease clinic.