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Editorial
Prevalent, treatable and significant: barriers to the control of Trichomonas vaginalis in women
  1. Sharon L Hillier
  1. Correspondence to Professor Sharon L Hillier, Department of Obstetrics, Gynecology and Reproductive Sciences, University of Pittsburgh, Magee-Womens Hospital, Room 2335, 300 Halket Street, Pittsburgh, PA 15213, USA; shillier{at}mail.magee.edu

https://doi.org/10.1136/sextrans-2013-051278

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    Trichomoniasis is a prevalent sexually transmitted infection (STI) which is more common than Chlamydia trachomatis or Neisseria gonorrhoeae in most populations of women. In most instances, Trichomonas vaginalis can be effectively eradicated using a single dose of an inexpensive antimicrobial agent such as metronidazole or tinidazole. In addition to causing vaginal symptoms in some women, trichomoniasis has been linked with a broad range of reproductive health sequelae including preterm delivery, low birth weight, pelvic inflammatory disease and increased susceptibility to HIV. In men, infection due to T. vaginalis has been linked with urethritis but its prevalence and clinical significance has not been well studied. However, treatment of male partners is necessary to prevent reinfection in women.

    Although T. vaginalis is prevalent, treatable and clinically significant in women, trichomoniasis is often poorly diagnosed and ineffectively treated, which leads to reproductive health sequelae and a significant public heath burden. In this issue, Lewis et al1 …

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    Footnotes

    • Competing interests None.

    • Provenance and peer review Commissioned; internally peer reviewed.