Pus in semen is a sign of bacterial or fungal infection in the urinary tract. Common causes of the symptom include sexually transmitted diseases (STDs), chlamydia and gonorrhea, thrush, and nonspecific urethritis. In some cases, prostatitis patients also experience pus in their semen. Treating the underlying infection will cause the pus to go away over time. Severe infections may require surgical drainage of the affected areas to remove any remaining pus.
Chlamydia is one of the most commonly contracted STDs and as such is a leading cause of pus in semen. The disease is caused by a Chlamydia trachomatis infection, which is transmitted primarily through sexual contact. Men with chlamydia often show no signs of infection until one to three weeks after initial exposure. Various other symptoms may accompany the abnormal discharge, including burning sensations in the genitals, testicular pain, and itching in the affected area. Chlamydia can be treated with antibiotic medications, such as doxycycline and azithromycin.
Gonorrhea is another leading cause of pus in semen, with more than 700,000 infections per year in the United States alone. Men infected with Neisseria gonorrhoeae may not have any symptoms of infection; however, those who do may experience chlamydia-like symptoms anytime between one and four days after initial exposure. Although the infection can be treated with antibiotics, new strains of gonorrhea have developed drug resistance, leading many doctors to recommend two types of antibiotics for treatment.
Penile yeast infection, more commonly known as a male yeast infection, occurs when the fungus Candida albicans grows on or around the genitals, particularly the urethra. Symptoms that may occur along with pus in semen include the development of red sores on the penis, itching, and an unusual penile odor or discharge. Thrush can be treated by keeping the affected area clean and dry and taking antifungal or antibiotic medications. The same treatment is followed for nonspecific urethritis, an inflammation of the urethra caused by bacteria or fungi other than those previously identified.
Prostatitis is an inflammation of the prostate gland commonly caused by a bacterial infection, although there have been cases where no infection was identified. The enlargement of the gland can cause significant discomfort to the patient and is made worse by the possible accumulation of pus around or within the gland. Depending on the severity of the infection, doctors may need to surgically drain the prostate of any remaining pus or dead cells to relieve the patient's symptoms. Bacterial prostatitis can be treated with antibiotics; however, prostatitis without clear infection has no known effective cure. Symptoms can only be temporarily relieved with pain relievers and other pain management techniques.