incidence: very common
cause: protozoan (Trichomonas vaginalis)
symptoms: genital itching, redness, discharge; often none in men
treatment: antibiotics
Trichomoniasis (“trich”) is an infection caused by a protozoan organism called Trichomonas vaginalis. It is a common sexually transmitted infection.
HOW COMMON IS IT?
Trichomoniasis is probably the most common sexually transmitted infection in the world. Each year, about three million women are diagnosed with the disease in the United States alone. A similar number of men are probably infected, but the statistics are available only for women, since it is they who usually have symptoms and seek health care.
Who is at highest risk? People are more likely to be infected if they have unprotected sex with multiple partners. The more sexual partners a person has, the higher the likelihood that he or she will become infected with trichomoniasis. In one study, trichomoniasis was found in about 5 percent of women on routine gynecological visits, in about 13-25 percent of women attending sexually transmitted disease clinics, and in 50-75 percent of prostitutes.
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