Trichomonas vaginalis infection in postmenopausal women

Development and validation of a predictive model for the risk of developing trichomonas vaginitis in women

“…The reason for this is that the vagina becomes thin and atrophic owing to the lack of hormones in women after age and menopause and is easily traumatized, resulting in serous exudation from the vagina. T. vaginalis is prone to survival under such environmental conditions 14 . Simultaneously, the body's defenses against T. vaginalis gradually weaken as the immune system declines with age.…”

The Problem of Trichomoniasis of the Lower Genital Tract in the Female

“…Chappaz and Chatellier (1951) put it like this: "It is certain that, if a normal healthy vaginal flora prevents T. vaginalis from establishing itself or becoming harmful, it is the quantity of circulating oestrogens which is the primary cause of this". Laffont and Bourgarel (1947), Bedrine (1949), Sannicandro (1949), and Feo (1956) all agree that the parasite develops in an environment which is deficient in folliculinizing hormones. But this opinion is opposed with convincing arguments by Netter and Lambert (1957); in a series of sixty patients, 55 showed on investigation normal ovarian function-that is with lowered oestrogens and 17-ketosteroids in the urine, normal temperature, normal menstruation, biopsy of the endometrium in the 14-20th days of the cycle.…”

“…Very rarely T. vaginalis is associated with flora of the first grade (the epithelial cells flaking off, few leucocytes, the bacteria consisting only of lactobacilli), but it prefers flora of the third or fourth grade (Witzig, 1948). One author, who has recently rejected this idea that normal vaginal acidity and abundance of Doderlein's lactobacilli render the survival of the flagellate impossible, is 224 Feo (1956), who found the protozoon existing in a pH 3 -6 to 4-7 with a rich flora of Doderlein's bacilli in 92-5 per cent. of a series of pregnant women in the third trimester.…”

“…Candiani (1953) added an abundant vaginal secretion rich in flaked-off cells obtained by pipetting from a healthy vagina without any trichomonads to a culture of T. vaginalis of low vitality, and noted that the mobility of the flagellates increased and that they began to reproduce themselves; he deduced that the products of cellular metabolism were necessary to the development of the protozoon. Feo (1956) succeeded in keeping T. vaginalis alive for 20 months on an S.T.S. medium without maltose, and concluded that: "Atrophic and easily damaged mucous membrane allows the exudation of the factor which is favourable and indispensable to the growth of T. vaginalis, i.e., serum", which furnishes all the requirements for culture.…”