Prevalence of Trichomoniasis by IFA assay in Guilan province

Trichomonas vaginalis is a parasitic protozoan that causing trichomoniasis, which is a sexually transmitted disease (STD), and a large number of the couples infect to this parasite per year. Due to side effects of this infection, such as preterm labor of infants from infected mother, infertility and increase risk of infection with AIDS, this STD is very important. New reports indicated that the prevalence of Trichomonas vaginalis is more than 180 million cases per year in the world. In fact, the world health organization estimated that this infection allocated almost half of curable sexually transmitted infections. Thus, the aim of this study was to estimate the prevalence of this infection by indirect immunofluorescence antibody (IFA) assay in Guilan province.Methodology: The study was conducted on 120 women attending to Health centers in Guilan province from May to October 2015. Women s demographic information was collected through questionnaires. By using a sterile cytobrush, the cervical and posterior vaginal secretions were collected and used for direct smear and checked by light microscope. Blood samples also were collected from each patient in order to use for indirect immunofluorescence antibody test. For IFA test the slides were coated with Trichomonas vaginalis, and serum samples were checked for any anti Trichomonas vaginalis immunoglobuline.Results: Among 120 under study patients, several suspected cases were observed according to the patient s complains. The results of the different methods indicated that, five samples showed IgG positive and two samples were positive for IgM antibody of Trichomonas vaginalis. Only one sample was positive by direct smear. Thus, the prevalence of this infection according to IFA test is about %5.8 in Guilan province in this period.Conclusion: Due to the similarity of symptoms in STDs, it is recommended that gynecologist use the laboratory diagnostic methods alongside with observation of signs and symptoms in the patients. Although the gold standard method of diagnosis in this infection is culture media method, but it is expensive and time consuming. Thus using IFA and direct smear, that is cheap and easy to perform, is recommended. The correct diagnosis helps to early treatment and prevents side effects of inappropriate use of drugs that is a complicated problem in health centre of our country.