Treatment for Trichomonas

Trichomonas is also known medically as Trichomoniasis and colloquially as Trich. It is a sexually transmitted disease that is prevalent throughout the world and affects men and women alike. However the symptoms of this disease show harsher effects on women. The disease is the infection of the urinary and genital systems, which is manifested in women by a green or yellow, frothy discharge from the vagina and in men by an infection on the tip of the penis. Other symptoms are vaginitis – or inflammation of the vagina, cervicitis – inflammation of the cervix, and urethritis – inflammation of the urethra.

Trichomoniasis is an infection that is caused by the pathogenic protozoan Trichomonas Vaginalis. This is one of the most robust of the protozoan family with an ability to survive in adverse conditions despite not having cystic stage to protect it. What makes Trichomoniasis extremely infectious in the fact that it can survive in urine, semen and water samples for over twenty four hours. The disease hardly manifests itself in men due the biochemistry of the male reproductive system and the high presence of zinc that is toxic to the protozoa. However, though men are asymptomatic, carriers but don’t manifest symptoms of the infection, they can show symptoms that come and go, apart from the symptoms discussed earlier men can also suffer infertility. Women, on the other hand, can have a much tougher time dealing with the disease. This is especially true when a woman has her period and the acidic nature of the vagina reduces enough to allow the protozoa to commence its attack. The organism latches on to the tissue walls of the vagina, this causes the inflammation and subsequent infection. Women, suffer symptoms like chronic itching, foul odor from the vaginal region, a green or yellow frothy vaginal discharge and a burning sensation while urinating. Women experiencing any of the above symptoms must immediately be checked for the disease. The diagnosis of the disease is done by taking a culture sample and analyzing the same in a lab for the presence of the Trichomonas Vaginalis. Untreated, the infection will cause miscarriages and affect the ability of a woman to reproduce. Trichomoniasis only affects women who are biologically in their reproductive years.

The only treatment for Trichomoniasis, currently, is a drug called Metronidazole, which is generally used for bacterial and protozoan infections of the reproductive system. Treatment requires that the carrier of the disease usually the male partner also be treated.