What is it?
Trichomonas Vaginalis is a protozoan, which is a small organism similar to bacteria. This type of organism is very similar to a bacterium. The Trichomonas protozoan can infect the vagina and urethra in a woman and the urethra and occasionally the prostate gland in men. Trichomonas is normally passed by sexual contact.
Why you should get tested.
If you have untreated Trichomonas infection during pregnancy, you have an increased risk of having an early labour and a baby with a low birth weight. In men, Trichomonas infection can, rarely, cause Prostatitis (an unpleasant infection of the prostate gland). For both men and women, untreated Trichomonas infection, you have an increased risk of developing HIV infection if you have sex with someone who is infected with HIV.
How can I get it?
You can get Trichomonas by having sex with an infected person. As no symptoms may occur, if you become infected you could pass on the infection without knowing it.
How do I know if I have it? What are the symptoms?
Like other STIs, roughly half the people infected with Trichomonas have no symptoms. In those people that get symptoms, the following may occur:
Women
- Vaginal discharge. This is typically greeny-yellow, and may be ‘frothy’. The discharge usually has an unpleasant or fishy smell.
- Your vagina and vulva may be itchy and uncomfortable. The irritation may extend into the groin. Sex may be painful.
- It may be sore when you pass urine.
Men
- Discharge from the penis.
- It may be sore when you pass urine.
- You may urinate often (due to irritation inside the penis).
Trichomonas testing ~ testing for Trichomonas
Testing for Trichomonas at home with Better2know is easy, fast and painless. For men and women, you simply urinate in the container we post you and you send it back in the prepaid envelope provided. Please be sure that you wait 3 hours before urinating.
Treating Trichomonas
Trichomonas is treated with antibiotics. Metronidazole is the common treatment though Tinidazole is an alternative antibiotic that is sometimes used. You should not have unprotected sex until the treatment has finished and the symptoms have gone away. You should also have your sexual partners treated to avoid re-infecting each other.
