Trichomoniasis

Trichomoniasis is a sexually transmitted disease caused by a parasite. It affects both women and men, but symptoms are more common in women. Symptoms in women include a green or yellow discharge from the vagina, itching in or near the vagina and discomfort with urination. Most men with trichomoniasis don't have any symptoms, but it can cause irritation inside the penis.

You can cure trichomoniasis with antibiotics. In men, the infection usually goes away on its own without causing symptoms. But an infected man can continue to infect or reinfect a woman until he gets treated. So it's important that both partners get treated at the same time. Correct usage of latex condoms greatly reduces, but does not eliminate, the risk of catching or spreading trichomoniasis.

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention

Trichomoniasis on Wikipedia

'''Trichomoniasis''', sometimes referred to as "trich" or the ping pong disease, is a common sexually transmitted disease that affects 2 to 3 million Americans yearly. It is caused by a single-celled protozoan parasite called Trichomonas vaginalis. Trichomoniasis is primarily an infection of the urogenital tract; the urethra is the most common site of infection in men, and the vagina is the most common site of infection in women.

Symptoms

Trichomoniasis, like many other sexually transmitted diseases, often occurs without any symptoms. Men almost never have symptoms, while 20% of women are asymptomatic. When women have symptoms, they usually appear within four to 20 days of exposure. The symptoms in women include a heavy, yellow-green or gray vaginal discharge, discomfort during sexual intercourse, vaginal odor, and dysuria. Irritation and itching of the female genital area, and on rare occasions, lower abdominal pain also can be present. In about two-thirds of infected females, there is edema, inflammation, cell hypertrophy and metaplasia The symptoms in men, if present, include a thin, whitish discharge from the penis and painful or difficult urination.

Treatment

Because men can transmit the disease to their sex partners even when symptoms are not present, it is preferable to treat both partners to eliminate the parasite. Metronidazole is the drug used to treat people with trichomoniasis. It usually is administered in a single dose. People taking this drug should not drink alcohol because mixing the two substances occasionally can cause severe nausea and vomiting.

Complications

Research has shown a link between trichomoniasis and two serious sequelæ. Data suggest that trichomoniasis is associated with increased risk of transmission of HIV and may cause a woman to deliver a low-birth-weight or premature birth infant. Additional ... [ Read More ]

External Resources

Projectlinks Database: Trichomoniasis Hub - A brief definition, followed by links to overviews, full text articles, diagnosis and treatment.

Women First - Vaginal Health - Vaginal infections are the most common reason women visit their clinician and are commonly due to bacterial vaginosis, yeast infection, or trichomoniasis. Acidophilus bacteria and low vaginal pH help prevent vaginal infections.

eMedicine - Vaginitis - Dr. Ann Botash reviews the common causes, symptoms, and treatments of vaginitis and related conditions such as Candida albicans infection, bacterial vaginosis, and trichomoniasis.

eMedicine Health - Trichomoniasis - Consumer health resource center providing information on the causes, symptoms, and treatment of trichomoniasis.

Stories:

Posted by katie from lv on 2008-03-27
i was once having sex and it just jumpped onto me and like wow! i had an std!!! it was great sex btw.........with dustin