In acute prostatitis, which pathogens are most common by age group?

• A. >35 years: Chlamydia & Gonorrhea; <35 years: E. coli
• B. >35 years: Staphylococcus aureus; <35 years: Pseudomonas
• C. >35 years: E. coli; <35 years: Chlamydia & Gonorrhea
• D. >35 years: Proteus; <35 years: Klebsiella

Answer: (B)

Acute prostatitis pathogens vary with age because of different exposure risks and pathways of infection. In older men, factors like recent urinary instrumentation or healthcare-associated exposures raise the likelihood of Staphylococcus aureus causing the infection. In younger men, certain nosocomial or community-acquired pathogens such as Pseudomonas aeruginosa are encountered more often. This pattern is why the pairing with older age for Staphylococcus aureus and younger age for Pseudomonas aeruginosa fits the question’s age-based distinction best. The other pairings place organisms in age groups where they are less typically implicated in acute prostatitis.