Trichomoniasis-A Review

Abstract

Trichomoniasis is a sexually transmissible infection that is capable of causing substantial morbidity. Trichomonas vaginalis is the only pathogenic species of the genus Trichomonas and has a worldwide distribution. The disease affects individuals in all racial groups and depending on the type of subpopulation studied prevalence rates vary between 0 and 65%. In men, the organism can be found in the urethra, periurethral glands, prostate, epididymis, and in semen. In 2001, WHO estimated that 174 million cases occur worldwide annually, making T.vaginalis infection the most common non-viral STI. In the US, trichomoniasis affects two to three million women annually. Reports from China indicate that it accounts for more than 30% of gynaecologic inflammatory diseases causing female sterility. A Korean study done on patients complaining of vaginal symptoms found that 10.4% of these patients were infected by T. vaginalis. The prevalence of trichomoniasis at STD clinics varies from eight to 31%. In KwaZulu-Natal, trichomoniasis is one of the most commonly reported STIs in females. A prevalence rate of 28% among STD clinic attendees was reported in 2004. It was found that the prevalence of trichomoniasis was lower in women attending antenatal clinics. Studies done, amongst pregnant women in South Africa show prevalence rates between 15 and 41.4%.The prevalence of Trichomoniasis 2.8 %-8.5% in India. These figures underestimate the real prevalence, since up to one half of all infections are asymptomatic and never diagnosed. Asymptomatic carriers can unknowingly transmit T.vaginalis via unprotected sexual contact. Therefore, asymptomatic infections are epidemiologically important. Hence it is important to diagnose this infection at the earliest to minimize the transmission amongst healthy population.