Advance Search

Prevalence of trichomonas vaginalis infection and evaluation of diagnostic methods in women attending maternity teaching hospital in Erbil city, Iraq

Hero Hussein Abbas
Department of Medical Microbiology, College of Health Sciences, Hawler Medical University, Erbil, Kurdistan Region, Iraq.
Ahmed Akil Al-Daoody
Department of Medical Microbiology, College of Health Sciences, Hawler Medical University, Erbil, Kurdistan Region, Iraq.
Keywords:
Copyright and Licensing:

Copyright (c) 2026 Hero Hussein Abbas, Ahmed Akil Al-Daoody (Author)

Creative Commons License

This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike 4.0 International License.

Share:
Crossref
Scopus
Google Scholar
Europe PMC

Abstract

Background and objective: Trichomonas vaginalis, an anaerobic, extracellular flagellated protozoan parasite, widespread sexually transmitted infection (STI). The objectives were to determine the prevalence of Trichomonas vaginalis in women attending to Erbil Maternity Teaching Hospital by different methods using microscopy, rapid and culture methods.

Methods: In this cross-sectional study from October of 2024 to June of 2025, 400 high vaginal swab (HVS) samples and urine samples were taken from women attending Maternity Teaching Hospital to detect the prevalence of Trichomonas vaginalis infection by different methods such as direct wet mount, rapid and culture methods.

Results: In this study, T. vaginalis was detected in 12 cases (3%) by culture and 9 cases (2.25%) by direct wet mount among 400 high vaginal swab samples. Of these, 120 were also tested by rapid diagnostic test, yielding 3 positives (2.5%). From the same patients, 400 urine samples were examined, with 4 positives (1%). Infection occurred only in married women, with the highest prevalence in the 18–29 age group (5.88%). No significant differences were found by age or residence, but significant associations were observed with clinical symptoms, whiff test results, vaginal discharge colour, and vaginal pH.

Conclusion: Trichomonas vaginalis infection was significantly linked to elevated vaginal pH and was most common in symptomatic women with pruritus and dyspareunia, particularly in the 18–29 age group. Culture detected more cases than wet mount or rapid tests, supporting the use of multiple diagnostic methods and targeted screening for early intervention.

PDF
PDF

Metrics

Metrics Loading ...

References

  1. Rein MF. Trichomoniasis. Hunter's tropical medicine and emerging infectious diseases: Elsevier. 2020;731-3. https://doi.org/10.1016/B978-0-323-55512-8.00100-9
  2. Menezes CB, Frasson AP, Tasca T. Trichomoniasis-are we giving the deserved attention to the most common non-viral sexually transmitted disease worldwide? Microbial cell. 2016;3(9):404. https://doi.org/10.15698/mic2016.09.526
  3. Carrillo-Ávila JA, Serrano-García ML, Fernández-Parra J, Sorlózano-Puerto A, Navarro-Marí JM, Stensvold CR, et al. Prevalence and genetic diversity of Trichomonas vaginalis in the general population of Granada and co-infections with Gardnerella vaginalis and Candida species. J Med Microbiol. 2017;66(10):1436-42. https://doi.org/10.1099/jmm.0.000603
  4. Alderete JF. Advancing Prevention of STIs by Developing Specific Serodiagnostic Targets: Trichomonas vginalis as a Model. Int J Environ Res Public Health. 2020;17(16):5783. https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph17165783
  5. Rowley J, Vander Hoorn S, Korenromp E, Low N, Unemo M, Abu-Raddad LJ, et al. Chlamydia, gonorrhoea, trichomoniasis and syphilis: global prevalence and incidence estimates, 2016. Bull World Health Organ. 2019;97(8):548. https://doi.org/10.2471/BLT.18.228486
  6. Bhakta SB, Moran JA, Mercer F. Neutrophil interactions with the sexually transmitted parasite Trichomonas vaginalis: implications for immunity and pathogenesis. Open Biol. 2020;10(9):200192. https://doi.org/10.1098/rsob.200192
  7. Kanyina EW, Kamau L, Muturi M. Cervical precancerous changes and selected cervical microbial infections, Kiambu County, Kenya, 2014: a cross sectional study. BMC Infect Dis. 2017;17:1-5. doi: 10.1186/s12879-017-2747
  8. Van Gerwen OT, Muzny CA, Marrazzo JM. Sexually transmitted infections and female reproductive health. Nat Microbiol. 2022;7(8):1116-26. doi: 10.1038/s41564-022-01177-x.
  9. Kissinger P. Trichomonas vaginalis: a review of epidemiologic, clinical and treatment issues. BMC Infect Dis. 2015;15(1):307. https://doi.org/10.1186/s12879-015-1055-0
  10. Hashemi N, Soleimani Z. The Relation Between Trichomonas Vaginalis and Female Infertility: A Meta-Analysis. JOGCR. 2022;7(6):513-7. https://doi.org/10.30699/jogcr.7.6.513
  11. Li S, Xu J, Ru S, Hu C, Liu C, Sun X, et al. Prevalence of Trichomonas vaginalis Among Women in the Chinese Population: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis. Trop Med Infect Dis. 2025;10(4):113. https://doi.org/10.3390/tropicalmed10040113
  12. van den Tweel MM, van der Struijs S, van den Munckhof EHA, Boers KE. The relationship between vaginal pH and bacterial vaginosis as diagnosed using qPCR in an asymptomatic subfertile population. Archives of gynecology and obstetrics. 2022;306(5):1787-93. https://doi.org/10.3389/fcimb.2019.00430
  13. Beri D, Yadav P, Devi HRN, Narayana C, Gadara D, Tatu U. Demonstration and Characterization of Cyst-Like Structures in the Life Cycle of Trichomonas vaginalis. Front Cell Infect Microbiol. 2020;9:430. doi: 10.3389/fcimb.2019.00430.
  14. Jishna P, Kozhikode K. Journal of Skin and Sexually Transmitted Diseases. JSSTD. 2024;6(1):80. https://dx.doi.org/10.25259/JSSTD_5_2023
  15. Adjei C, Boateng R, Dompreh A, Okyere B, Owiredu E-W. Prevalence and the evaluation of culture, wet mount, and ELISA methods for the diagnosis of Trichomonas vaginalis infection among Ghanaian women using urine and vaginal specimens. Trop Med Health. 2019;47(1):33. https://doi.org/10.1186/s41182-019-0162-9
  16. Özel Y, Yılmaz U, Ünlü G, Özbilgin A, Ünlü M. Growth of trichomonas vaginalis in basic media available in routine microbiology laboratories. Turkiye Parazitol Derg. 2022;46(1):7-13. https://doi.org/10.4274/tpd.galenos.2021.29290
  17. Jishna P, Khader A, Dipin P, Bindu V. Point-of-care testing in a patient with vaginal discharge. JSSTD. 2024;6(1):80-2. doi:10.25259/JSSTD_5_2023
  18. Hansh WJ. A Review on Trichomonas vaginalis and The Impact of Some Demographic Variables on The Prevalence in Iraq. MAJMS. 2024;3(1):11. https://doi.org/1045
  19. Nabweyambo S, Kakaire O, Sowinski S, Okeng A, Ojiambo H, Kimeze J, et al. Very low sensitivity of wet mount microscopy compared to PCR against culture in the diagnosis of vaginal trichomoniasis in Uganda: a cross sectional study. BMC Res Notes. 2017;10:1-6. https://doi.org/10.1186/s13104-017-2581-1
  20. Al-Hisnaw SA, Al-Jorany RAS. Study of The Prevalence of Trichomonas Vaginalis Parasite in Females Suffering from Vaginal Inflammations. JSRMBS. 2024;5(1):25-36. https://doi.org/10.47631/jsrmbs.v5i1.733
  21. Nouraddin AS, Alsakee HM. Immunological aspects of Trichomonas vaginalis infection in women attending maternity teaching hospital and some public health centers in Erbil governorate, Northern Iraq. CUESJ. 2019;3(1):56-60. 10.24086/cuesj.v3n1y2019.pp56-60.
  22. Al-Hadraawy SK, Al-Katib SR, Al-Awady HM. Immunological study for infected women with T. vaginalis in AL-Najaf AL-Ashraf province. Al-Kufa Univ Biol. 2018;10(1). https://doi.org/10.36320/ajb/v10.i1.8204
  23. Salih AA, Obaid HM, Jasim WM. An in vitro study of zinc effect on Trichomonas vaginalis isolated from infected women. NTU-JPS. 2022;1(4):44-53. https://doi.org/10.56286/ntujps.v1i4.356
  24. Murad MA, Ibrahim SA, Mahmood AY. Distribution and risk factors of Trichomonas vaginalis infection with relevance to interleukin profile among population in Duhok city, Iraq. Clin Epidemiol Glob Health. 2024;30:101784. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.cegh.2024.101784
  25. Al-Hussuny EM. An epidemiological study of Trichomonas vaginalis in among women living in Baquba City, Diyala Province, Iraq. DJPS. 2015;11(3). https://doi.org/10.13140/RG.2.2.13975.39847
  26. Rahi A, Jaleel Ia. study of Trichomonas vaginalis infection among women at Wasit Province, Iraq. IJHS. 2022:3484-9. https://doi.org/10.53730/ijhs.v6nS8.12861
  27. Taher JH, Shaker MA, Sahib NM, Sarhan NG, Ashoor AM, Mhajhaj JA, et al. Epidemiological Study of Trichomonas vaginalis and Other Microorganisms Isolated from Genital Tract of Women in Najaf Province–Iraq. Al-Kufa Univ J Bio. 2018;10(2):1-10.
  28. Kadhum NJ, Al-Mayah SH, Jabbar Raisan S. Epidemiological Study On Trichomonas Vaginalis Among The Women Who Attended The Hospitals Of Basra Province. Journal of Basrah Researches (Sciences). 2020;46(2). https://www.iasj.net/iasj/journal/260/issues
  29. AL-TAEI KA. Detection of Trichomonas vaginalis in women with vaginitis in Mosul city. Intern J Appl Sci Technol. 2022;4(3):428-40. 10.47832/2717-8234.12.40
  30. Meena V, Bansal CL. Study to Evaluate Targeted Management and Syndromic Management in Women Presenting with Abnormal Vaginal Discharge. J Obstet Gynaecol India. 2016;66(Suppl 1):534-40. https://doi.org/10.1007/s13224-016-0879-x
  31. von Glehn MdP, Sá LCEF, da Silva HDF, Machado ER. Prevalence of Trichomonas vaginalis in women of reproductive age at a family health clinic. J Infect Dev Ctries. 2017;11(03):269-76. https://doi.org/10.3855/jidc.8143
  32. Sivaranjini R, Jaisankar T, Thappa DM, Kumari R, Chandrasekhar L, Malathi M, et al. Trichomoniasis: How do we diagnose in a resource poor setting? Indian J Sex Transm Dis AIDS. 2013;34(1):25-31. https://doi.org/10.4103/0253-7184.112866
  33. Shekhany KAM. Isolation and genotyping of Candida albicans involved in vaginal candidiasis among pregnant women in Sulaymaniyah and Erbil cities. Zanco J Med Sci. 2021;25(1):493–502. https://doi.org/10.15218/zjms.2021.012
How to Cite
Hussein Abbas, H. ., & Akil Al-Daoody, A. . (2026). Prevalence of trichomonas vaginalis infection and evaluation of diagnostic methods in women attending maternity teaching hospital in Erbil city, Iraq. Zanco Journal of Medical Sciences (ZJMS), 30(2), 446–460. https://doi.org/10.15218/zjms.2026.031

Send mail to Author

Send Cancel