Trichomoniasis

Etiology
  • Trichomonas vaginalis
 
Epidemiology
  • More common in older women relative to other STIs
  • Black Caribbean and black “other” ethnic groups
 
Testing indications
  • Vaginal discharge
  • When is it appropriate to screen asymptomatic women for TV?
    • Controversial. Depends on local prevalence
    • Black population have higher prevalence - consider testing
 
Diagnóstico
  • Microscopy - low sensitivity
  • NAAT - gold standard
  • Point of care in low risk population will have false positives
  • No validated test for men! Low sensitivity/specificity. Urethral or meatal swab can be used
  • Rectal and oral testing is not recommended
 
Treatment
  • Metronidazole 400-500mg orally 2x/d for 7 days
    • Single dose (used before) is no longer recommended
  • Systemic antibiotics are required because periurethral gland affection
  • Don’t give topical treatment alone
  • Allergy - no real treatment alternative. Well document cases of desensitization. True allergy to metronidazole is rare - confirm history.
  • Alcoholics may have disulfiram effect - consider single dose
  • Recurrent infection
    • Untreated partner
    • Treatment failure (resistance)
    • Lack of adherence
    • If NAAT is used to confirm, should be done 3 weeks after the end of treatment due to the risk of detection of uninfectious particles
    • Metronidazole 800mg 3x/d for 7 days
    • Metronidazole 2g daily for 5-7 days
    • Repeat metronidazole 2g 2x/d for 14 days with metronidazole vaginal cream 5g twice daily for 14 days
    • Dequalinium chloride 10mg vaginal tablets for 18weeks
    • Boric acid pessaries 600mg alternate nights to 600mg 2 times daily for between 1-5 months
    • Intravaginal paromomucin alone
    • Nitroimidazol - 2nd line treatment that is usually effective. Higher effecicacy but higher risk of resistance
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