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Trichomoniasis - Causes, Symptoms and Treatment

By: alien Definition

Trichomoniasis is also called trick, It is a sexually transmitted disease (STD). It is caused by a parasite that can be passed from one person to another. It is caused by a protozoan usually in the vagina and urethral tissues. Although this is most often treated in women, men can also be infected. Infected, asymptomatic men commonly infect their partners, though women carriers can also be symptom free. Trichomoniasis often occurs with other STDs, such as gonorrhea and nongonococcal urethritis (chlamydia), particularly in women.

Causes

While trichomoniasis is usually passed sexually, it may be picked up from contact with damp or moist objects such as towels, wet clothing, or a toilet seat, if the genital area gets in contact with these damp or moist objects. As with many STDs, a mother who has this infection can transmit it to her newborn when she delivers the child. But in a newborn, the infection usually doesn't cause any symptoms, and goes away on its own without medical treatment. More than 200 million people worldwide are infected with this parasite each year.

Symptoms

Symptoms may be worse during pregnancy or right before or after a menstrual period. If symptoms develop, they may include in both male and female are :-

For Females :-

Discomfort with intercourse
Vaginal itching
Profuse, greenish-yellow, frothy or foamy, vaginal discharge with a foul or strong smell
Labial swelling or vulvar itching
Itching of the inner thighs

For Males :-

Burning after urination or ejaculation
Itching of urethra
Slight discharge from urethra

Treatment

Trichomonas organisms can be easily identified because they swim quite rapidly with their whip-like tails. The vaginal secretions are likely to be more alkaline than normal, and the clinician may use a strip of pH paper to check acidity. The pH is likely to exceed 5.0. Antibiotic or antifungal medications can be taken orally, applied to the vagina as creams or gels, or inserted into the vagina as suppositories. Women whose vaginal symptoms have not been diagnosed should not use over-the-counter therapies until they have a medical evaluation to determine the cause.

Side effect includes nausea, headache, and abdominal cramping. Seizures and neurological damage have been reported in some people taking metronidazole, though these cases are rare.