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Trichomonas vaginalis
Epidemiology:
1) common cause of vaginitis [2]
2) sexually transmitted disease [2]
Laboratory:
1) Trichomonas vaginalis in specimen
a) direct wet mount examination of vaginal fluid, prostatic fluid or urine sediment
- sensitivity of saline mounts is low [3]
b) morphologically resembles Pentatrichomonas hominis, but is larger (up to 23 um) [P. hominis found in feces]
c) undulating membrane extends only 1/2 the length of the body
2) vaginal pH > 4.5 (specificity is low) [3]
3) Trichomonas vaginalis antigen
- immunoassays commercially available
- EIA
- immunofluorescence
4) Trichomonas vaginalis identified by culture, 90% sensitive
5) Papanicolaou smears have poor sensitivity
6) Trichomonas vaginalis nucleic acid becoming gold standard [3]
a) Trichomonas Vaginalis DNA
b) Trichomonas Vaginalis rRNA
Management:
- see trichomoniasis
Related
Trichomonas vaginalis nucleic acid
trichomoniasis
General
Trichomonas
Properties
KINGDOM: animal
PHYLUM: protozoa
References
- Clinical Diagnosis & Management by Laboratory Methods,
19th edition, J.B. Henry (ed), W.B. Saunders Co., Philadelphia,
PA. 1996, pg 1278
- Miller M, Liao Y, Gomez AM, Gaydos CA, D'Mellow D.
Factors associated with the prevalence and incidence of
Trichomonas vaginalis infection among African American women
in New York city who use drugs.
J Infect Dis. 2008 Feb 15;197(4):503-9.
PMID: 18275272
- Van Der Pol B, Kwok C, Pierre-Louis B, Rinaldi A, Salata RA,
Chen PL, van de Wijgert J, Mmiro F, Mugerwa R, Chipato T,
Morrison CS.
Trichomonas vaginalis infection and human immunodeficiency
virus acquisition in African women.
J Infect Dis. 2008 Feb 15;197(4):548-54.
PMID: 18275275
- Medical Knowledge Self Assessment Program (MKSAP) 17,
American College of Physicians, Philadelphia 2015