Trichomoniasis gets its name from the organism called as trichomonas vaginalis which causes this curable sexually transmitted disease. Trichomonas vaginalis is a protozoan which is single celled and produces stress on host cells and then consumes the cell fragments after the death of the host cell. To put it in simple words it is one of the three most common vaginal infections observed in women while the other two being Vaginal Yeast Infection and Bacterial Vaginosis (BV).

Is Trichomoniasis Common:
Yes; It is very common and a curable STD which is noticed in young and sexually active women. As per to the reports there are around 7 million cases which are reported by women and men both every year.

How to Find out if you are suffering from Trichomoniasis
Usually men do not come to know about this until and unless their partners need a treatment, the common symptoms which can help you identify that you suffer from trichomoniasis are
•    A Mild Discharge.
•    There will be a slight burning sensation after urination or after ejaculation.
•    Irritation inside the male reproductive organ.
Women who suffer from this disease have following symptoms: These symptoms usually appear within 5 to 28 days of exposure…
•    Urination is painful.
•    There is itching and irritation in the female sexual organ.
•    Have discomfort during intercourse.
•    In rare cases women have lower abdominal pain.
•    There is a discharge of frothy greenish yellow discharge and has very strong odor.

Diagnosis:
A lab test must be performed and a physical examination must be conducted by the physician. The lab tests are performed on the urethral fluid or the vaginal fluid and are done to look for the parasite. These parasites can be detected easily in women as compared to men.

Treatment:
An oral medication called known as metronidazole (flagyl) is used to treat trichomoniasis. The drug is pretty strong and it could harm the baby if in case you are pregnant. It is recommended that your partner should be treated at the same time you being treated to avoid any chances of re-infection. Couples suffering from trichomoniasis should avoid any sexual activity until both the partners complete the treatment. The treatment should be completed and should not be left half way even if you notice improvement and you begin to feel better.

Trichomoniasis – What if not treated?
In pregnant women it can actually rupture the membranes that protect the baby and lead to a preterm delivery.
There is always a risk that women who suffer from trichomoniasis may acquire HIV infection in case if she is ever exposed to it.
The HIV infection can spread to the partner from the woman who is infected and suffer from trichomoniasis.

Prevention is better than Cure: These tips will help you prevent from this disease
•    It is always safe to be protected, so use contraceptives like condoms.
•    Never change partners and it is always better to limit the number of partners.
•    Limit you sexual contact to only one partner and try to practice sexual abstinence.
•    It is recommended to see a doctor if in case you are infected.
Consult a doctor immediately if you experience a burning sensation during urination or during a discharge and immediately stop the sexual activity. Always be considerate and inform all your sexual partners if in case you have been diagnosed with trichomoniasis.

Trichomoniasis –Tests to Diagnose Trichomoniasis
How is it diagnosed Trichomoniasis:
The medical history will include all the questionnaires about your past sexual life and practices.
Let’s take a look at what kind of physical examination will be conducted
In case of women, the physical examination includes the visual examination of cervix, the women’s sexual organ and the genitals. The physical examiner is looking for red patchy spots.

The vaginal discharge will be assessed for odor, texture and color. A wet mount test (the wet mount is a test that is conducted under the microscope and the fluid or the discharge from a woman’s reproductive organ is evaluated and this test is successful method to identify trichomoniasis) needs to be conducted of the sample discharge.
Some other tests that can be conducted for detection of trichomoniasis are:
•    The Antigen detection test, it’s actually a strip test and gives positive results for more than 83% of the times.
•    The trichomoniasis can also be detected by performing the DNA probe test.
•    The culture test works best and gives results for over 90% accurately and particularly used for men.

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