Prevalence of Trichomonas vaginalis in men at high risk for sexually transmitted diseases

Article Abstract:

Trichomonas infection of the urogenital system, caused by the organism Trichomonas vaginalis, affects as many as 2.5 million women in the US each year; recurrent infections are thought to be due to the failure of male sexual partners to obtain treatment. To better assess the prevalence of trichomonas in males, a study was carried out of 85 black men aged 16 to 22 who were enrolled in an inner-city youth job-training program (a high-risk group for sexually transmitted diseases). Subjects underwent a physical examination that included testing of urine samples as well as samples from the urethra and samples of prostatic fluid. The subjects reported a frequency of intercourse that averaged 3.2 times per month; half the participants had more than and half the participants had fewer than two sexual partners in the previous three months. Twenty-eight percent reported symptoms of penile discharge and pain upon urination, and an additional 29 percent reported one of these symptoms or both in combination with sores associated with another sexually transmitted disease (STD). Fifty-eight percent of the subjects tested positive for trichomonas vaginalis by one of the five methods used. The best diagnostic tests for men without symptoms were the direct specimen test (using a florescent-labelled antibody) and the test that grew organisms in tissue culture from urine. For men with symptoms, the best test was tissue culture using urethral samples. No test was accurate in all cases, but combining these two tests (using urine) led to identification of 94 percent of the cases. The results show that trichomoniasis (trichomonas infection) is as common among men as among women. The diagnostic test that used urethral samples was the least effective for the group as a whole. Tests that used tissue culture, usually thought to provide definitive results, were negative in many cases where antibody tests proved positive. Culture methods can only be considered completely reliable when performed in settings where control over culture media and other factors can be exercised. At present, active efforts to diagnose trichomonas infection in men are not made in the US, even in STD clinics. (Consumer Summary produced by Reliance Medical Information, Inc.)

Sexually transmitted diseases, Evaluation, Testing, Demographic aspects, Tests, Trichomoniasis

---

Comparison of direct fluorescent antibody, acridine orange, wet mount, and culture for detection of Trichomonas vaginalis in women attending a public sexually transmitted diseases clinic

Article Abstract:

Trichomonas vaginalis (TV) is an infection of the vagina causing itching, burning, foul-smelling discharge and pain on urination. Diagnosis is complicated by the fact that half of all infected women do not have symptoms of a trichomonas infection. Laboratory diagnosis is made by placing a sample of the vaginal discharge on a slide and identifying the organism under the microscope. The identification of trichomonas using a wet mount slide depends on the concentration of the organism and the expertise of the examiner. The wet mount method (WM) fails to detect an infection in 30 to 50 percent of cases. Diagnosis is only assured using culture techniques that are expensive and take a long period of time for results. Two new techniques for the identifying vaginal trichomonas infection, direct florescent antibody assay (DFA) and acridine orange (AO) stain, have been introduced. These three methods, wet mount, DFA, and AO, were used to diagnose TV in 104 women attending a sexually transmitted disease clinic to determine the most efficient testing method. Other sexually transmitted diseases, namely gonorrhea, yeast infections, and chlamydia, were also included. The DFA method was found to be more sensitive than either wet mount or AO, which had similar sensitivities. However, the performance of DFA decreased slightly if the TV infection was complicated by another vaginal infection. DFA slides can be prepared and analyzed in 20 minutes, making it a logical alternative to the more reliable but expensive method of culture for the detection of TV in women.

Usage, Stains (Microscopy), Fluorescent antibody technique, Cytodiagnosis, Vaginal smears, Acridine orange

---

Comparative Prevalence of Infection With Trichomonas vaginalis Among Men Attending a Sexually Transmitted Diseases Clinic

Article Abstract:

Trichomonas vaginalis (TV) may be an important cause of urinary tract infection in men as it is in women. Researchers tested 454 men visiting a sexually transmitted diseases (STD) clinic for TV, Neisseria gonorrhoeae (GC), and Chlamydia trachomatis (CT) using urethral swabs. Overall, 5% had GC, 7.5% had CT, and 2.8% had TV. However, among men 30 years old or older, TV was just as common as GC and CT, each occurring in 12% to 14% of the men.

Statistical Data Included, Causes of, Statistics, Urinary tract infections

Similar abstracts:

• Abstracts: Prevalence of rheumatoid arthritis and rheumatoid factor in women: evidence for secular decline. Genetics of osteoarthritis
• Abstracts: The Use of Epidemiologic Mass Treatment and Syndrome Management for Sexually Transmitted Disease Control. Evidence of Declining STD Prevalence in a South African Mining Community Following a Core-Group Intervention
• Abstracts: Prevalence of and Risks for Cervical Human Papillomavirus Infection and Squamous Intraepithelial Lesions in Adolescent Girls
• Abstracts: Recommendations for the nutritional management of patients with diabetes mellitus. Prediction of dietary flavonol consumption from fasting plasma concentration or urinary excretion
• Abstracts: Comparing the resistance of dentin bonding agents and pins in amalgam restorations. Efficacy of preformed metal crowns vs. amalgam restorations in primary molars: a systematic review

This website is not affiliated with document authors or copyright owners. This page is provided for informational purposes only. Unintentional errors are possible.