Trichomoniasis: symptoms, treatment, photos, causes
Trichomoniasis is a genitourinary tract transmitted by the sexual way, a mixed protozoan-bacterial process that only rarely occurs in the form of a monoinfection, since its causative agent is a reservoir for various pathogenic flora.
This pathology is combined with mycoplasmosis, gonococci, gardnerella, fungi and occupies a leading place among diseases of the genitourinary tract.
Infection is not only widespread( every year it infects 300 million people), but it is fraught with various complications.
Infection with trichomoniasis occurs during sexual intercourse. In two-thirds of cases, this happens with promiscuous extramarital sex. There is an opinion that it is possible to become infected in a bath or pool, and also when washing with unboiled water.
In fact, this is not so, because the causative agent quickly loses its vitality outside the human body, which is due to the inability to form cysts. In the chlorinated water of the basins, its virulence persists for up to 24 hours, and in the soap solution the viability is lost within 6 hours. On this basis, trichomoniasis transmission by a non-sexual route can take place, but in practice this possibility is very small.
Vaginal trichomonas( Trichomonas vaginalis) was first discovered and described by the French doctor Donne, who identified her in the purulent secretions of the male and female reproductive tract.
It is a moving, plastic, simple single-celled organism from the flagellate class. It parasitizes the epithelium of the mucous membrane on the cells, which damages with direct contact, causing an inflammatory process. When the temperature rises above 40 ° C, it quickly dies.
exists in conditions of pH of medium 5,5-6,5 and especially intensively multiplies during menstruation, when acidity in the vagina decreases.
Initially, trichomoniasis proceeds in the form of acute( up to 2 weeks) and subacute( up to 2 months) form, after which the inflammatory process becomes chronic or becomes trichomonas.
Chronic trichomoniasis is a mixed infectious process when infections manifest themselves together and in various combinations.
The disease lasts for a long time, it is characterized by relapses and slightly pronounced symptoms outside the exacerbation. The amount of excreta during this period depends on the observance of personal hygiene. If the body's immune response to the introduction of trichomonads is not sufficiently active, trichomonadonance occurs, in which objective and subjective symptoms of the disease are absent.
This also occurs when a maloviral strain is infected. Epidemiologically, the carriers of the disease pose a great danger, since they are the sources of its spread.
Trichomoniasis in women is manifested by such specific signs:
The diagnosis is made on the basis of clinical symptoms and laboratory tests. The sampling of the material for analysis is carried out from the vagina and rectum in women;from the urethra and rectum in men.
It should be noted that in men the recognition of this disease is less informative than that of women, because atypical and sedentary forms of trichomonads dominate in the studied material of the male smear and, in addition, they are significantly less.
The main problem of diagnosis is the morphological variability of Trichomonas. Obstruction is caused by amoeba-like immobile forms, which usually merge with the cells of the epithelium, whereas the identification of flagella forms is unproblematic.
Methods of laboratory diagnostics:
In order for treatment to be successful, the following principles must be adhered to:
. This applies to the treatment of uncomplicated trichomoniasis. If the timing of infection is not determined, and the clinic is either absent, or manifests itself minimally, then these drugs are recommended to take courses for 5-7 days.
Nonspecific methods of treatment of trichomoniasis:
Trichomoniasis causes various complications in the female and male body. The most serious of them is infertility in women and pathology of pregnancy.
Complications of trichomoniasis in women:
Preventative actions should be aimed at timely treatment of patients with trichomoniasis and the identification of all persons who had sex with them.
At the heart of preventive measures is also a regular visit to the urologist, strict observance of the rules of personal hygiene. It should be remembered that with trichomoniasis there is no persistent immunity, so you can catch it again.
This pathology is combined with mycoplasmosis, gonococci, gardnerella, fungi and occupies a leading place among diseases of the genitourinary tract.
Infection is not only widespread( every year it infects 300 million people), but it is fraught with various complications.
Causes and causative agent of trichomoniasis
Infection with trichomoniasis occurs during sexual intercourse. In two-thirds of cases, this happens with promiscuous extramarital sex. There is an opinion that it is possible to become infected in a bath or pool, and also when washing with unboiled water.
In fact, this is not so, because the causative agent quickly loses its vitality outside the human body, which is due to the inability to form cysts. In the chlorinated water of the basins, its virulence persists for up to 24 hours, and in the soap solution the viability is lost within 6 hours. On this basis, trichomoniasis transmission by a non-sexual route can take place, but in practice this possibility is very small.
Vaginal trichomonas( Trichomonas vaginalis) was first discovered and described by the French doctor Donne, who identified her in the purulent secretions of the male and female reproductive tract.
It is a moving, plastic, simple single-celled organism from the flagellate class. It parasitizes the epithelium of the mucous membrane on the cells, which damages with direct contact, causing an inflammatory process. When the temperature rises above 40 ° C, it quickly dies.
exists in conditions of pH of medium 5,5-6,5 and especially intensively multiplies during menstruation, when acidity in the vagina decreases.
Symptoms of Trichomoniasis
Initially, trichomoniasis proceeds in the form of acute( up to 2 weeks) and subacute( up to 2 months) form, after which the inflammatory process becomes chronic or becomes trichomonas.
Very often the only symptom of trichomoniasis is a variety of discharge. In acute trichomoniasis, they have a gray-white color, usually abundant and foamy. Their appearance causes a feeling of itching and burning, as well as pain in the genital area.
Chronic trichomoniasis is a mixed infectious process when infections manifest themselves together and in various combinations.
The disease lasts for a long time, it is characterized by relapses and slightly pronounced symptoms outside the exacerbation. The amount of excreta during this period depends on the observance of personal hygiene. If the body's immune response to the introduction of trichomonads is not sufficiently active, trichomonadonance occurs, in which objective and subjective symptoms of the disease are absent.
This also occurs when a maloviral strain is infected. Epidemiologically, the carriers of the disease pose a great danger, since they are the sources of its spread.
Symptoms of female trichomoniasis:
Trichomoniasis in women is manifested by such specific signs:
- vaginal discharge and unpleasant odor;
- redness of external genitalia;
- painful urination;
- delayed monthly;
- painful feelings during intimate relationships;
- vulvar itching;
- strengthening of clinical signs after the end of menstruation;
- swelling of the vagina and vaginal part of the cervix;
- inflammation of the mucous membrane of the uterus, which is manifested by pains in the lower abdomen;
- small hemorrhages;
- painful superficial erosion on the external genitalia.
Symptoms of Trichomoniasis in Men
- pain when urinating;
- frequent or sudden urge to urinate;
- itching and burning sensation in the genital area;
- scanty discharge from the urethra;
- sensation of discomfort in the crotch and rectum area.
Diagnosis of Trichomoniasis
The diagnosis is made on the basis of clinical symptoms and laboratory tests. The sampling of the material for analysis is carried out from the vagina and rectum in women;from the urethra and rectum in men.
It should be noted that in men the recognition of this disease is less informative than that of women, because atypical and sedentary forms of trichomonads dominate in the studied material of the male smear and, in addition, they are significantly less.
The main problem of diagnosis is the morphological variability of Trichomonas. Obstruction is caused by amoeba-like immobile forms, which usually merge with the cells of the epithelium, whereas the identification of flagella forms is unproblematic.
Methods of laboratory diagnostics:
- microscopy of fresh unpainted preparation( immediate examination after receiving the material);
- microscopy of the colored preparation according to Romanovsky-Giemsa and Gram;
- culture methods( seeding) help to identify atypical forms of trichomonads;
- immunological methods are based on the detection of antibodies to Trichomonas.
Treatment of trichomoniasis
In order for treatment to be successful, the following principles must be adhered to:
- therapy should be comprehensive and individual;
- sexual partners must be treated at the same time;
- abstinence from intimate relationships;
- compliance with personal hygiene;
- to treat trichomoniasis is necessary until the end, so that the disease does not go into a chronic form;
- elimination of factors that violate the immune system.
Trichomoniasis is successfully treated with anti-trichomoniasis drugs. To eliminate the pathogen, it is sufficient to take one tablet of metronidazole or ornidazole, or secidazole, or tinidazole in a dosage of 0.2 g each inside the
. This applies to the treatment of uncomplicated trichomoniasis. If the timing of infection is not determined, and the clinic is either absent, or manifests itself minimally, then these drugs are recommended to take courses for 5-7 days.
Nonspecific methods of treatment of trichomoniasis:
- nonspecific immunotherapy;
- proteolytic enzymes;
- physiotherapy;
- vitamin therapy;
- hormone therapy( if the function of the sex glands in women is impaired).
Possible consequences of
Trichomoniasis causes various complications in the female and male body. The most serious of them is infertility in women and pathology of pregnancy.
Complications of trichomoniasis in women:
- inflammation of the vulva and perineum;
- endometritis;
- chronic salpingitis;
- is an inflammation of the bladder;
- occurrence of ulcers on the external genitalia;
- bartholinite;
- increased risk of developing cervical cancer;
- see signs of prostatitis;
- decreased motility of spermatozoa, which can cause infertility;
- see the symptoms of cystitis;
- appearance of sores on the genitals;
- erectile dysfunction;
- urethritis( see how to treat urethritis in men);
- is an inflammatory process in the testes and appendages.
Prevention of the disease
Preventative actions should be aimed at timely treatment of patients with trichomoniasis and the identification of all persons who had sex with them.
The most reliable method of preventing infection is the elimination of casual sex and the use of barrier contraception( a condom), which protects not only from trichomoniasis, but also from other sexually transmitted diseases.
At the heart of preventive measures is also a regular visit to the urologist, strict observance of the rules of personal hygiene. It should be remembered that with trichomoniasis there is no persistent immunity, so you can catch it again.