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Bacterial STI Curable

Mycoplasma Genitalium Testing

Mycoplasma genitalium (MG) is an emerging bacterial STI with a catch: the antibiotics most people know don't work on it. With no cell wall, it's immune to penicillins and cephalosporins, and years of azithromycin monotherapy have pushed macrolide resistance above 50% in US clinics. Most people, especially women, have no symptoms, while in men it shows up as persistent, recurrent urethritis that won't clear with standard NGU treatment. It needs a specific NAAT, carefully sequenced treatment to outpace resistance, and partner notification to break the chain.

Find mycoplasma genitalium testing near you When can mycoplasma genitalium be detected?

Understanding mycoplasma genitalium

Testing for mycoplasma genitalium, in brief

Mycoplasma genitalium is usually symptomless and quick to cure, so testing is the only reliable way to know you have it. This page covers how mycoplasma genitalium testing works, what it costs, and where to get tested near you.

Full mycoplasma genitalium overview: symptoms, complications & treatment

Where to get tested

Find mycoplasma genitalium testing near you

Choose your test and enter your city: we'll take you straight to local mycoplasma genitalium testing: nearby clinics and labs, prices, hours and county rates.

Test from home

At-home STD testing in the U.S.

if you'd rather skip the trip, an at-home kit ships to the U.S., you collect the sample privately, and mail it back to a CLIA-certified lab. Results come online in days, with a clinician available if anything is positive. Same labs as a clinic, no waiting room, and you can read how accurate at-home STD tests are before you order.

Want a free option first? The CDC-supported TakeMeHome program mails free at-home HIV self-test kits, and, in many areas, free STI kits, to your door, with no insurance or payment needed. The paid kits below add broader panels and faster turnaround.

  • In-home collection

    Quest Diagnostics

    Quest Diagnostics

    $79 & up

    Panel:
    8-infection panel incl. chlamydia, gonorrhea, HIV, syphilis, hepatitis & herpes: single tests too
    Sample:
    Quest Mobile: a phlebotomist collects your sample at home
    Results:
    1–3 days, online: physician-reviewed
    • In-home sample collection
    • Nationwide Quest lab network
    • Physician-reviewed results
    • FSA/HSA eligible
    Order online Quest Diagnostics review

  • Best range: couples & full panels

    myLAB Box

    myLAB Box

    $79 & up

    Panel:
    Up to 14 infections, incl. HIV, syphilis, chlamydia, gonorrhea, hepatitis & herpes
    Sample:
    Self-collect: swab, urine, finger-prick
    Results:
    2–5 days, online
    • Free phone consult if positive
    • CLIA-certified labs
    • Couples & subscription options
    • Discreet packaging
    Order online myLAB Box review

  • Best value: single tests

    Everlywell

    Everlywell

    $49 & up

    Panel:
    Chlamydia & gonorrhea, up to a 6-test panel adding HIV, syphilis, trichomoniasis & hep C
    Sample:
    Finger-prick + swab
    Results:
    Days, online
    • Telehealth visit if positive
    • CLIA-certified labs
    • HSA/FSA eligible
    • Subscription savings
    Order online Everlywell review

Every kit uses CLIA-certified labs. At-home testing is for screening; a reactive result should be confirmed and treated by a clinician. Prices and panels shown are illustrative and change often, confirm current details on the provider's site.

Symptoms

Do you need a mycoplasma genitalium test?

The majority of people with MG, particularly women, have no symptoms at all. In studies, MG is detected in cervicitis without the patient reporting discharge or pelvic discomfort. This means complications (PID, infertility) can develop silently. Asymptomatic women are not routinely screened; the infection is found when symptoms prompt testing or when a partner is diagnosed. That's exactly why testing matters: you can have it, pass it on, and never feel a thing.

See every mycoplasma genitalium symptom — in women, men, rectal & throat

How testing works

How a mycoplasma genitalium test works

Testing for mycoplasma genitalium is simple and painless — you pee in a cup or do a quick swab, and a lab checks the sample for the infection. Below: your options, what each costs, and how soon you can test after a possible exposure.

When to test

Test when symptoms of NGU or cervicitis are present, especially if they persist or recur after standard antibiotic treatment. For partners of diagnosed patients, test at the time of evaluation regardless of symptoms, asymptomatic infection is common.

After treatment

Urine works well for men. Vaginal or endocervical swabs are used for women. Rectal swabs can detect rectal MG in people with anal exposure. Confirm the lab runs an FDA-cleared or validated NAAT for M. genitalium specifically, routine chlamydia/gonorrhea panels do not detect it.

NAAT (urine or swab) Most accurate
Sample
First-void urine (men), vaginal or endocervical swab (women), or rectal/throat swab for exposed sites
Results
2–5 days at reference labs; not available as a rapid point-of-care test

FDA-cleared NAATs for MG exist (e.g., Aptima MG assay) but are offered by specialty and reference labs, not every clinic. Confirm availability before ordering.

Culture
Sample
Urethral or cervical swab, requires specialized slow-growth media
Results
Weeks, impractical for routine clinical use

Not used in routine clinical practice; primarily a research tool. Some reference labs can perform macrolide-resistance testing on culture isolates, but this is not commercially standardized in the US.

What a mycoplasma genitalium test costs

Where What it costs
Private lab (self-pay)$80–$200 for a standalone MG NAAT at a reference lab or specialty STI clinic; often bundled with an NGU or comprehensive STI panel at no extra charge
Free / sliding-scale clinicAvailable at some local health department STI clinics, especially for symptomatic patients or contacts of confirmed cases
With insuranceCoverage varies; often included when billed as part of persistent NGU or cervicitis workup

Compare STD testing costs across every option.

Screening guidance

Who should get tested for mycoplasma genitalium?

Testing for mycoplasma genitalium is usually guided by symptoms, a known exposure, or a partner's diagnosis rather than routine screening: so you test when you have a reason to, not on a fixed schedule.

  1. 1

    Men with persistent or recurrent NGU

    The classic trigger for MG testing in men: urethral discharge or painful urination that either does not resolve after a standard doxycycline or azithromycin course, or that clears and returns within weeks. Standard NGU treatment often fails MG: especially the single azithromycin dose, which now misses macrolide-resistant strains more than half the time. Re-confirm urethritis is still present (discharge or abnormal microscopy), rule out re-exposure, and test specifically for MG with a NAAT.

  2. 2

    Women with persistent or recurrent cervicitis

    Cervicitis (inflammation of the cervix) that doesn't clear after standard chlamydia treatment, or that keeps recurring, is a clinical indicator for MG testing. Women with cervicitis have a mucopurulent discharge from the cervix or cervical friability (bleeding easily on contact). Because many women with MG have no symptoms, persistent cervicitis on examination, even with minimal patient complaints, warrants a NAAT for MG alongside repeat chlamydia and gonorrhea testing.

  3. 3

    Women with pelvic inflammatory disease (PID)

    MG is an established cause of PID and may account for some of the PID cases that don't respond as expected to standard regimens. Test for MG at the same time as chlamydia and gonorrhea when evaluating PID, particularly when symptoms or exam findings persist after initial treatment.

  4. 4

    Sexual partners of someone diagnosed with MG

    Partners from the past 60 days should be evaluated and tested. If MG is confirmed in a partner, presumptive treatment is recommended, the same resistance-guided regimen used for the index case. Partners can have MG without symptoms, and untreated partners will re-infect the original patient even after successful treatment.

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Mycoplasma genitalium testing by state & city

Jump to local mycoplasma genitalium testing, clinics and labs, prices and county rates, in your state or a popular city, or explore another test.

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Living with mycoplasma genitalium

Questions to ask your provider about mycoplasma genitalium

Mycoplasma genitalium is treatable and nothing to be ashamed of. The most useful next step after a positive result (or before a first test) is a direct conversation with a clinician. Here are the questions that matter most:

  • Is my mycoplasma genitalium test result definitive, or do I need a confirmatory test?
  • What treatment options are available to me, and how long until I'm no longer contagious?
  • Should I notify my recent partners, and can your office help me do that confidentially?
  • How soon can I re-test to confirm the infection has cleared?
  • Are there other STIs I should test for at the same visit?
  • Can this affect my fertility, pregnancy, or long-term health if left untreated?

Good to Know

Mycoplasma genitalium testing FAQs

Common questions about mycoplasma genitalium and mycoplasma genitalium testing, answered.

Do I need to test my partner if I have MG?

Yes. All sex partners from the past 60 days should be tested and treated at the same time. MG cycles back and forth between untreated partners, and one partner can re-infect the other even after successful treatment. Asymptomatic partners can still have the infection and pass it back.

Is there a test I can take at home for MG?

No approved at-home MG test currently exists. M. genitalium requires a specific FDA-cleared NAAT run at a reference or specialty lab, not a rapid lateral-flow type test. Self-collected swabs or urine samples can be sent to a lab via some at-home STI testing services, but confirm the specific service includes an MG assay, as many standard STI panels do not.

Medically Reviewed · Updated

Reviewed by Dr. Ngozi Adeyemi, MD, MPH · Infectious Disease & Epidemiology

Board-certified in infectious disease with a focus on STI epidemiology and public-health screening programs. Leads testing, diagnosis and the data-driven 'state of STDs' reporting. Our editorial guidelines →

2 Sources

Data & references

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