Prostatitis Causes   

Depending on the causative factor of the inflammation, prostatitis can be acute bacterial prostatitis, chronic bacterial prostatic, asymptomatic inflammatory prostatitis (chronic non-bacterial Prostatitis), or chronic Prostatitis / Chronic Pelvic Pain Syndrome (CP / CPPS).

Acute Bacterial Prostatitis - This is an inflammation of the prostate gland caused, in 80% of cases, by a group of bacteria called E. coli (Escherichia coli). It is characterized by a sudden infectious syndrome accompanied by a fever of 40 ° C and urinary disorders (see symptoms). 

Common risk factors that can lead to the development of prostatitis include: 

·         Untreated bladder infection 

·         Unprotected anal sex 

·         Biopsy of the prostate  

·         Endoscopic examination of the bladder 

·         Congenital or acquired anomaly (narrowing) of the urethra  

·         Adenoma of the prostate (also known as benign prostatic hypertrophy).

Chronic bacterial prostatitis - It is a progressive swellingand irritation of the prostate due to an untreated or poorly treated acute bacterial prostatitis. Sometimes, a chronic prostatitis can be the result of the presence of micro abscesses in the prostate gland. It is very common, representing about 90% of all cases of bacterial prostatitis. Although it can affect men of any age, chronic bacterial prostatitis is more frequent among men over 30; it may be due to:  

·         An untreated acute prostatitis  

·         Recurrent acute prostatitis  

·         Chronic urinary tract infection  

·         Inflammation of the epididymis (epididymitis)  

·         Narrowing or inflammation of the urethra (urethritis) 

·         Chronic infectious lesions of the prostate 

Asymptomatic inflammatory prostatitis - this is a rare form of inflammation of the prostate gland.  In this condition, there no clinical sympt oms of prostatitis but detection of leukocytosis (increased white blood cells count) in the secretions or tissue of the prostate indicates the prostatitis . The abnormality is detected mostly during evaluation for other conditions. The cause of a symptomatic inflammatory prostatitis is not clearly understood, but it is believed to be due to: 

·         Cancer  

·         Hemorrhage 

·         Viral, bacterial, fungal or parasitic infection 

·         Certain medications such as steroids 

Chronic Prostatitis / Chronic Pelvic Pain Syndrome (CP / CPPS) - It is, without doubt, the most common prostate disease. It represents more than 80% of patients with pain and urinary symptoms with possible sexual dysfunctions. Contrary to other forms of prostatitis, CP / CPPS has no evidence of uropathogenic germs (can cause disease in the urinary tract, E. coli for instance); there is no trace of infection which makes antibiotic treatment usually ineffective. The cause is not clearly understood, but the following factors are suspected in the development of chronic prostatitis / chronic pelvic pain syndrome: 

• Urinary infection 
• Traumatic injury (occurs mostly when lifting heavy objects) 
• Age - commonly affects men older than 50 years 
• Untreated stress  
• Immune system disorder 
• Nervous system disorder. 

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