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Research ArticleFocus: Molecular Diagnosis of Sexually Transmitted Infections

Trichomonas vaginalis: Common, curable and in the diagnostic spotlight

Chris L. McGowin, Rodney E. Rohde and Gerald Redwine
American Society for Clinical Laboratory Science January 2014, 27 (1) 53-56; DOI: https://doi.org/10.29074/ascls.27.1.53
Chris L. McGowin
Louisiana State University Health Sciences Center, Department of Microbiology, Immunology and Parasitology, New Orleans, LA
PhD
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  • For correspondence: cmcgow@lsuhsc.edu
Rodney E. Rohde
Clinical Laboratory Science Program, College of Health Professions, Texas State University, San Marcos, TX
CM,CM
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Gerald Redwine
Clinical Laboratory Science Program, College of Health Professions, Texas State University, San Marcos, TX
MEd, MT(ASCP)
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  1. Chris L. McGowin, PhD⇑
    1. Louisiana State University Health Sciences Center, Department of Microbiology, Immunology and Parasitology, New Orleans, LA
  2. Rodney E. Rohde, PhD, MS, SV, SM(ASCP)CM, MBCM
    1. Clinical Laboratory Science Program, College of Health Professions, Texas State University, San Marcos, TX
  3. Gerald Redwine, MEd, MT(ASCP)
    1. Clinical Laboratory Science Program, College of Health Professions, Texas State University, San Marcos, TX
  1. Address for Correspondence: Chris L. McGowin, PhD, Louisiana State University Health Sciences Center, Department of Microbiology, Immunology and Parasitology, 1901 Perdido St.; MEB 6214, New Orleans, LA 70112-2822, 504 568-7281, cmcgow{at}lsuhsc.edu
  1. Discuss the historical and epidemiological spectra of Trichomonas vaginalis.

  2. Define the clinical characteristics of trichomoniasis in men and women.

  3. Explain the methods for clinical diagnosis of T. vaginalis infection.

  4. Compare and contrast the treatment strategies for trichomoniasis in women.

Extract

Trichomonas vaginalis is the most common curable sexually transmitted infection (STI) worldwide.1 The 2001-2004 National Health and Nutrition Examination Surveys (NHANES) report that American women between the ages of 14 and 49 are infected with T. vaginalis with a prevalence of approximately 3% - greater than that of C. trachomatis and N. gonorrhoeae.2,3 Additional studies have highlighted that, unlike C. trachomatis and N. gonorrhoeae, T. vaginalis affects all age groups and the prevalence is highest in women over 40 years of age.4-7 Annually, it is estimated that more than half of the approximately 248 million new T. vaginalis infections occur in males worldwide.1 However, the majority of prevalent T. vaginalis infections are detected in women, which is consistent with the chronic nature of these infections in the female urogenital tract. Most infections in women are asymptomatic, however T. vaginalis has been linked to lower and upper reproductive tract disease syndromes including vaginitis, cervicitis and pelvic inflammatory disease (PID). Pregnancy-related complications include pre-term birth and infertility. In men, T. vaginalis is most commonly a cause of non-gonococcal urethritis (NGU) but infections tend to be transient and frequently asymptomatic. In this article, we concisely discuss the current knowledge on T. vaginalis epidemiology and the developing trends in diagnosis of this incredibly prevalent STI.

Disease spectrum of T. vaginalis infections Currently, trichomoniasis is not a notifiable disease in the USA and so therefore, compared to other STIs, relatively little is known about the epidemiology and pathogenesis of T. vaginalis infections. The spectrum of…

ABBREVIATIONS: CDC - Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, FDA - Food and Drug Administration, MDx - molecular diagnostics, NAAT - nucleic acid amplification test, NGU - non-gonococcal urethritis, NHANES - National Health and Nutrition Examination Surveys, PID - pelvic inflammatory disease: POC - point of care, PPV - positive predictive value, STD - sexually transmitted disease, STI - sexually transmitted infection

    INDEX TERMS
  • Molecular diagnostics
  • sexually transmitted disease
  • sexually transmitted infections
  • Trichomonas vaginalis
  • trichomoniasis
  1. Discuss the historical and epidemiological spectra of Trichomonas vaginalis.

  2. Define the clinical characteristics of trichomoniasis in men and women.

  3. Explain the methods for clinical diagnosis of T. vaginalis infection.

  4. Compare and contrast the treatment strategies for trichomoniasis in women.

  • © Copyright 2013 American Society for Clinical Laboratory Science Inc. All rights reserved.
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American Society for Clinical Laboratory Science: 27 (1)
American Society for Clinical Laboratory Science
Vol. 27, Issue 1
Winter 2014
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Trichomonas vaginalis: Common, curable and in the diagnostic spotlight
Chris L. McGowin, Rodney E. Rohde, Gerald Redwine
American Society for Clinical Laboratory Science Jan 2014, 27 (1) 53-56; DOI: 10.29074/ascls.27.1.53

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Trichomonas vaginalis: Common, curable and in the diagnostic spotlight
Chris L. McGowin, Rodney E. Rohde, Gerald Redwine
American Society for Clinical Laboratory Science Jan 2014, 27 (1) 53-56; DOI: 10.29074/ascls.27.1.53
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Show more Focus: Molecular Diagnosis of Sexually Transmitted Infections

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Keywords

  • Molecular diagnostics
  • sexually transmitted disease
  • sexually transmitted infections
  • Trichomonas vaginalis
  • trichomoniasis

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