Background: Trichomonas vaginalis, the causative agent of trichomoniasis, is responsible for more than half of all sexually transmitted infections (STIs). The present study aimed to determine the frequency of T. vaginalis infection and its clinical manifestations in symptomatic pregnant women in the area based on four different diagnostic methods.
Methods: A total of 162 pregnant women with at least one sign or symptom of vaginosis, referred to two gynecologic and obstetrics clinics in Rafsanjan City, south central Iran, were randomly selected in 2012-13. Through speculum examination of patients by gynecologists, clinical diagnosis determined, vaginal discharge were collected by using two sterile cotton swabs from the posterior fornix and vagina pH was measured. Samples were examined by three diagnostic methods including wet mount, culture in TYI-S-33 medium and polymerase chain reaction (PCR).
Results: T. vaginalis was detected in 19.5%, 27.2%, 56.2% and 51.6% of subjects according to diagnostic methods of clinical diagnosis, wet mount, culture and PCR, respectively. There was statistically significant relationship between T. vaginalis infection and patients' age, gestational age, marriage age, residence, educational level, parity. The symptomatological pattern in the 91 women infected with T. vaginalis was as follows: leukorrhea, 96.7%; urine frequency, 65.9%; odorous secretion, 63.3%; urogenital itching and irritation, 53.8%; vaginal inflammation, 47.3%; dyspareunia, 39.6%; and dysuria, 16.5%.
Conclusion: Our results indicated a high prevalence of T. vaginalis in symptomatic pregnant women, very low sensitivity and relative high specificity of clinical diagnosis and wet mount technique compared to culture and PCR, as well as thatpregnancy increases the susceptibility to the infection in a gestational age-dependent manner.
Keywords: Diagnosis; Iran; Signs and symptoms; Trichomonas vaginalis.