<i>Trichomonas Vaginalis</i> infection among women in Ikwuano Abia State Nigeria.

Abstract

A study on Trichomoniasis was conducted to determine the prevalence, symptoms and factors that promote the transmission of Trichomonas vaginalis among women of Ikwuano in Abia State using high vaginal swab and urine samples. A total of 600 women aged between 14-60years were examined and 112 (18.67%) were infected with Trichomoniasis. The highest prevalence of Trichomonas vaginalis infection (20.57%) was observed among the age group of 21-30 years, the least (7.8%) was observed among those of 41-50years while 51-60 age group had no infection at all. Occupational related prevalence revealed that traders had the highest (30%) followed by students (19.78%), civil servants (15.66%) and house wives had the least (8.33%). In relation to marital status, single women had the highest (19.72%). While widows had the least (9.09%). Symptomatic individuals had characteristic symptoms such as itching/rashes (3.83%), Genital sores (2.88%), Hot feeling sensation (4.50%), Greenish yellow discharge (6.00%), while very few had no symptom at all. Lack of hygiene, ignorance poverty, prosmocuity and factors influencing the transmission. Trichomonas vaginalis is a common sexually transmitted disease among women in Ikwuano Abia State. Proper sex education especially for the adolescent and youths should be intensified so as to ensure a population fully aware of the medical implications of STD and hence reduce the spread and other health complications as a result of the infection. ©JASEM http://dx.doi.org/10.4314/jasem.v17i3.7Trichomonas vaginalis is a parasitic protozoan that causes trichomoniasis, a sexually transmitted disease (STD) of worldwide importance and one of the most prevalent causes of non-viral sexual transmitted disease (Schwebke, 2002). Trichomoniasis occurs in females (Males rarely exhibit any symptoms) if the normal acidity of the vagina is shifted from semiacidic PH (3.8-4.2) to a much more base form (5.0-6.0) that is conducive to T. vaginalis growth (Swygard et al./2004). The disease is characterized in female patients by frothy-greenish yellow foul smelling vaginal discharge accompanied with vulvovaginal irritation, dysuria and lower abdominal pains (Workowski et al., 2006). Moodley et al., (2002) reported that Trichomonas vaginalis is also associated with a condition known as strawberry cervix, an inflammatory reaction that mimics the cervical tenderness associated with pelvic inflaminatory disease (PID). Complications of Trichomonas vaginalis reported in pregnaned women include: premature rupture of membrane, premature labour, slow labour, low birth weight and post abortion infectors (Soper 2004). According to Sobel (2005), trichomoniasis is also linked to increased mortality as well as predisposing factor to HIV infections and cervical cancers. Cervicitis due to trichomonasis is characterized by purulent discharges in the endocervical canal and induces early endocervical bleeding (Workowski 2006). Studies reveal that T. vaginalis induces immune activation specifically Lymphocytes activation, replication a...

Trichomoniasis in Nigeria: A review

“…For example, in a study carried out by [74], a higher prevalence of T. vaginalis was documented for subjects that resided in urban areas (57.70%) than those that lived in rural communities (39.16%). Also, prevalence was highest amongst the sexually active group of age 11-45 years old [7].…”

“…Amadi and Nwagbo [7] reported 19.72% for single women in Abia, South-East, Nigeria with 21.6% and 11% among Abeokuta and Maiduguri married women respectively [8,38].…”

“…Historically, detection of the parasite is made possible by examination of urine and High Vaginal Swab (HVS) in a drop of saline or trichomonas diluents for the characteristic wobbling and rotating motion. Amadi and Nwagbo [7] reported that either urine sample or vaginal swab is insufficient for proper diagnosis of T. vaginalis infection and have suggested that for better results both urine and vaginal swab should be used. Diagnosis of trichomoniasis has relied mostly on wet mount demonstration and staining of the parasite in the laboratory with success rate of between 20 and 80% [80].…”

“…Control and elimination may depend largely on extensive proper sex education, especially for the adolescent and youths [7,8]. Also suggested are adequate treatment of both spouses, implementation of effective screening programmes and treatment at no cost [8].…”

“…Trichomonas vaginalis is the most common STPDs in Nigeria; and studies on STPDs remain relatively scanty [7][8][9][10]. In addition, knowledge about T. vaginalis and trichomoniasis is hugely lacking; and this identified gap may have impacted on the burden of infection.…”