Trichomoniasis and its treatment

Abstract

Trichomonas vaginalis has long been recognized as a cause of infectious vaginitis in women. More recently, studies have demonstrated a significant burden of disease in men with urethritis or men at high risk for sexually transmitted diseases. There is increasing interest in this pathogen as more data accumulates linking it to HIV transmission and perinatal morbidity. New diagnostic methods have emerged that may increase sensitivity of diagnosis or improve point-of-care access to testing. Nitroimidazoles remain the mainstay of therapy. Metronidazole and tinidazole are highly effective as single-dose therapy. Unfortunately, despite the link between T. vaginalis infection and perinatal morbidity, nitroimidazole therapy during pregnancy remains controversial. Although metronidazole resistance is currently uncommon, pharmacological features and nitroimidazole resistance patterns suggest that tinidazole may be more effective in treating patients with metronidazole treatment failure. Alternatives to nitroimidazole therapy are few, and most have limited efficacy and significant toxicity.

Comparison of Wet Mount Examination with Giemsa Staining and Fluorescent Staining for Detection of Trichomonas vaginalis in Clinically Suspected Cases of Vulvovaginitis

“…Trichomoniasis infection also enhances the transmission of human immunodeficiency virus infection (Nanda et al, 2006). T.vaginalis is highly prevalent and is associated with adverse outcome, improved detection of T. vaginalis is needed.…”

Murine Models of Vaginal Trichomonad Infections

“…A recommended metronidazole regimen for women consists of either a single dose of 2 g (~40 mg/kg in a woman of 50 kg) or, in case of resistance, 500 mg (~10 mg/kg in a woman of 50 kg) twice daily for 7 days. 1 In conclusion, this study shows infection conditions and selection of suitable infecting strains to establish vaginal infection of mice with two important reproductive pathogens, T. foetus and T. vaginalis . The differences in infectious doses and duration of infection may be related to the differences in susceptibility to killing by PMNs in the murine vaginal secretions during the estrus cycle.…”

“…The human pathogen, Trichomonas vaginalis, causes vaginitis, cervicitis, adverse pregnancy outcomes (i.e., preterm birth, premature membrane rupture, and low birth weight infants) and increases the risk of human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) transmission. 1 Similarly, infection with Tritrichomonas foetus in cattle results in vaginitis, cervicitis, and endometritis and reproductive failure. 2,3 The pathogenesis of human and bovine trichomoniasis is incompletely understood.…”

Screening for antibacterial and antiprotozoal activities of crude extracts derived from Mexican medicinal plants

“…Giardiasis mainly affects children under 5 years of age in developing countries, contributing to 2.5 million deaths annually from diarrheal disease (Ricci et al, 2006). On the other hand, trichomoniasis, a sexually transmitted disease associated with vaginitis, cervicitis, urethritis, prostatitis, epididymitis, cervical cancer, and infertility, accounts for 180 million infections acquired annually worldwide (Ali and Nosaki, 2007;Nanda et al, 2006). E. histolytica, T. vaginalis, and G. lamblia infections are mainly treated with imidazole type drugs, but it has been reported that these three protist pathogens have developed drug resistance (Upcroft and Upcroft, 2001;Pal et al, 2009).…”