[Comparative assessment of various methods of laboratory diagnosis of trichomonas infections].
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Trichomonas vaginalis is a widely prevalent, sexually transmitted protozoan infecting both males and females. Despite its prevalence, little is known about its contribution to the morbidity rates for urogenital-tract infections. Currently accepted diagnostic methods are limited to the demonstration of the organism in fresh material, identification in stained material, or in vitro cultivation of organisms from the urogenital tract. We have evaluated the indirect hemagglutination test and the gel diffusion test for efficacy in detecting antibodies in serum samples drawn from two population groups. Sera from patients attending a vaginitis clinic had a seropositivity rate of 69% by indirect hemagglutination and 34% by gel diffusion. Seropositivity rates among culture-positive patients were 78% with indirect hemagglutination and 43% with gel diffusion. A group of normal female hospital employees showed seropositivity rates of 30% by indirect hemagglutination and 3% by gel diffusion. Absorption of reactive sera with Trichomonas antigens reduced or abolished the serological reactivity, confirming the specificity of the test. Serological methods can provide a rapid, sensitive, and economical tool to study the epidemiology of this common protozoan infection.
Collectively, protozoa account for the largest number of STDs worldwide. Although these organisms can be eradicated effectively in the individual patient, their high asymptomatic carriage rate appears to have a significant influence on their continued transmission. The best hope for eradication of these organisms lies in a high index of suspicion in high-risk populations and the careful evaluation and treatment of sexual partners of infected persons.
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OBJECTIVE: To estimate the prevalence of bacterial vaginosis, Candida albicans, and Trichomonas vaginalis infections in a population of postmenopausal women with symptoms of vaginitis seen at a vaginitis clinic either as self-referred or clinician referred patients. METHODS: A cross-sectional study of 148 postmenopausal women (cases) and 1564 controls of reproductive age attending a vaginitis clinic. C. albicans and T. vaginalis infections were diagnosed by culture techniques. Bacterial vaginosis was diagnosed on the basis of clinical findings. RESULTS: Fifty-six (37.8%) postmenopausal women and 834 (53.3%) controls were diagnosed with T. vaginalis or C. albicans infection, or bacterial vaginosis, or mixed infection (odds ratio (OR) 0.53, 95% confidence interval (CI) 0.37-0.75). C. albicans and T. vaginalis infection were diagnosed in 34.1% (534/1564) and 1.92% (30/1564) of women of childbearing age and in 13.5% (20/148) and 10.8% of postmenopausal women, respectively. (P < 0.05 for both comparisons). The prevalence of bacterial vaginosis was similar between the two groups (14/148 in postmenopausal patients and 210/1564 in controls of reproductive age; P = 0.22). CONCLUSIONS: Among postmenopausal women attending a vaginitis clinic, a defined diagnosis of bacterial vaginosis, C. albicans or T. vaginalis infection can be made in about one third of such patients. Concerning the two thirds of symptomatic women lacking such a microbiologic diagnosis, alternative causes (e.g., estrogen deficiency, nonanaerobic bacterial infections, local irritants or allergenes, and dermatologic conditions) need to be considered.
Trichomonas vaginalis, a parasitic protozoa residing in the human urogenital tract, causes one of the most common sexually transmitted diseases, trichomoniasis. Clinical diagnosis of T. vaginalis infection mainly involves a wet-mount microscopic examination, and a culture method, and both of which are either laborious or time-consuming. An immunodiagnostic strategy is under development, which is based on the fact that T. vaginalis releases various protein factors, notably proteinases, into the culture medium, some of which can also be detected in vaginal washes. These factors are closely related to the clinical presentation of trichomonad vaginitis, and thusly may serve as potential earmarks for diagnosis. We have attempted to identify the most appropriate target antigen(s) by screening and analyzing the profile of T. vaginalis antigens existing in patient's vaginal secretion, using the antiserum raised against the total secretory antigens from T. vaginalis cultures. Two T. vaginalis antigens with molecular weights near 110 KDa have been demonstrated to be useful antigens as the diagnostic markers.
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