by Larry Weaver

Created on: July 11, 2008   Last Updated: July 16, 2008

Trichomoniasis

Trichomoniasis can infect both women and men although it mainly affects women. Symptoms are different but with either sex it is a bothersome condition. I will try to describe the general symptoms and treatments for this condition below along with a brief overview of how it is contracted. As with any condition you should consult with your doctor and if it is a sexually transmitted condition you should also inform any partners you have had sex with.

In women, Trichomoniasis is an infection of the vagina and is usually sexually transmitted. It's sometimes contracted via infected washcloths, towels, or other under-garments and/or bathing necessaries. Trichomoniasis is caused by a protozoan. Many people think it can also be spread from toilet seats but there's no evidence to support this claim and it is highly un-likely since this parasite can't live very long on objects. Trichomoniasis can be transmitted by a mother to her child during childbirth but this is rare. Millions of people every year are infected with this condition. Even though it is not serious, you should be treated. In women, the organism could inhabit her vagina for years without showing any symptoms. When symptoms do show, they are characterized by a painful inflammation and itching of the vagina and the vulva. There may also be a yellow or green, oozing discharge. The discharge can be very offensive in odor and embarrassing. When infected, sexual intercourse can be painful. There may also be an urgency to urinate and she may have abdominal pain. To diagnose this condition a sample of the vaginal discharge can be taken and looked at under a microscope. A culture is the more proving method of diagnosis but it usually takes a few days to get the results back for this. Even though there are no 100% accurate tests, these two testing methods are the more common ones and usually suffice.

This infection can also affect men. When it does it affects the urethra. Usually in men there are no symptoms but, a man that's infected sometimes has the head of his penis swell from inflamation and he may have a discharge. He may also suffer from urethral pain which usually mimics the signs of urethritis. There may be an urgency to urinate and when urination does occur it usually burns. Although men show the least amount of signs as compared to women, the above problems can be rather painful. Diagnosis in men is also harder to confirm but a swab can be used to swab the urethra and examined.

It is not a common thing to see teen-aged children infected with this condition unless they are sexually active. If your teen-ager shows up with this condition make sure after treatment that he or she gets some sort of counseling regarding safe-sex practices, whether that be by a parent or professional. If this condition shows in very young children, it is usually an indication of some type of sexual abuse but, not always the case.

To treat this ailment, metronidazole is normally used but tinidazole may also be prescribed. Pregnant women should not take tinidazole because it's not yet clear whether this medicine is safe to use during pregnancy. A very rare side effect with could occur with metronidazole is an inflammation of the pancreas known as pancreatitis. Antiprotozoals kill the tiny parasite (a one-celled protozoan organism) that causes trichomoniasis Any and all sexual partners should be treated as well to prevent any re-infection and to keep from passing it back and forth. The cure rate with these drugs is 90 to 95%.

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