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SOLID RELATIONSHIPS.
SOLID MARRIAGES. |
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THE
FACTS ABOUT TRICHOMONAS
What
is trichomonas?
Trichomonas (trih-kuh-muh-nye-uh-sus) is an STD that
infects the genital tracts of both women and men.
How
many people have trichomonas?
Trichomonas is one of the most common STDs. In fact, 5-10 percent
of American women are probably infected. Five million new trichomonas
infections occur each year in the United States, while approximately
200 million people every year are infected with trichomonas worldwide.
How does someone get trichomonas?
Trichomonas is almost always a sexually transmitted disease.
What
are the symptoms?
The majority (50-80 percent) of women and some men infected
with trichomonas do not know that they are infected. In women,
trichomonas causes vaginitis (inflammation of the vagina) and cervicitis
(inflammation of the cervix). Symptoms of trichomonas vaginitis/cervicitis
frequently include vaginal discharge, abnormal vaginal bleeding (typically
after intercourse) due to cervical irritation, swelling and irritation
of the genitals, itching of the vulva and abdominal pain.
In men, the urethra (tube carrying fluid from the bladder out the penis) is the most common location of infection. Symptoms of urethritis (infection of the urethra) include discharge from the penis and burning with urination.
How
does someone find out s(he) has trichomonas?
Patients with symptoms are usually diagnosed when the clinician finds
characteristic physical findings and identifies the trichomonas organism
in genital fluids (vaginal or urethral discharge) or urine. Routine
testing for trichomonas infection is not normally done in patients without
symptoms, so infected individuals who don’t have symptoms are
unlikely to be tested. Unfortunately, these asymptomatic individuals
may transmit the infection to their sexual partners without being aware
of the risk.
How
is trichomonas
treated?
Most trichomonas infections are treated with metronidazole, a drug that
is taken by mouth. The most common side effect of metronidazole is a
gastrointestinal reaction some patients have after taking metronidazole
and then consuming alcoholic beverages.
What
are some of the long-term effects of trichomonas?
Trichomonas infection in pregnant women is associated with premature
rupture of membranes (early breakage of the fluid sac surrounding a
developing baby) and preterm labor. Finally, when a person has a trichomonas
infection and then has sex with an HIV-infected
person, his/her risks of contracting HIV may be increased.
How
can teens avoid getting trichomonas?
As with other STDs, condoms provide incomplete protection, and because
most infected individuals are unaware of their infection, having a sexual
partner who is not having symptoms of infection offers no protection
against infection.
Abstinence from sexual activity - including oral sex - or lifetime faithfulness to one uninfected partner is the only certain way for your teen to avoid being infected sexually. If your teen has already been sexually active, he or she needs to be tested for STDs.
Learn about other common STDs...
| Chlamydia |
Information adapted from The Medical Institute for Sexual
Health web site.
www.medinstitute.org