A Study on the Prevalence of Genital Trichomoniasis among Female Outpatients Attending Sexually Transmitted Infection Clinic in a Tertiary Care Hospital

INTRODUCTION: Women with high-risk sexual behavior accounts for more than half of the sexually transmitted infection (STI) clinic attendees. The prevalence of trichomoniasis is as low as 5% in the general population to as high as 60% in high-risk population. This infection can pave the way to the acquisition of human immunodeficiency virus and other STIs, vice versa and is even associated with cancer. OBJECTIVES: To identify, isolate and study the prevalence of Trichomonas vaginalis in genital specimens of female outpatients. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Total number of subjects involved in the study was 130, among them 85 belonged to high-risk group and 45 belonged to low-risk group. Two high vaginal swabs were collected from each patient. Saline wet mount, Giemsa stain, and culture in modified cysteine peptone liver infusion maltose medium were performed. Results were tabulated and analyzed. RESULTS: Saline wet mount was positive for trichomoniasis in seven individuals, Giemsa detected trichomoniasis in five patients, and culture was positive in eight patients. Of these eight culture positive cases, one was wet mount negative and four were Giemsa stain negative. CONCLUSION: Culture is more sensitive than wet mount and Giemsa stain.