Aetiology of acute bacterial prostatitis

Acute bacterial prostatitis is caused by similar organisms to those associated with other UTIs (eg Escherichia coli, Proteus species, Klebsiella species)Bonkat, 2024National Institute for Clinical Excellence (NICE), 2018Yebes, 2023.

Burkholderia pseudomallei (see Melioidosis) can cause acute bacterial prostatitis in tropical regions of Australia1. Acute bacterial prostatitis caused by Staphylococcus aureus may occur as a complication of bacteraemia or post instrumentation.

Sexually transmissible pathogens (eg Chlamydia trachomatis, Neisseria gonorrhoeae) rarely cause acute bacterial prostatitis; testing for these pathogens should be considered if empirical therapy has failedYebes, 2023.

1 Tropical regions of Australia refer to regions north of 20ºS latitude. This includes areas of Queensland north of Mackay, the Northern Territory north of Tennant Creek, and Western Australia north of Port Hedland.Return