Trichomoniasis: The Most Neglected Infection among Women in Isoko South, Delta State Nigeria

Background: Trichomoniasis, an infection caused by Trichomonas vaginalis is among the most neglected sexually transmitted disease in the world and it affects the vagina, cervix, urethra and paraurethral glands as well as the bladder in women.

Objectives: To determine the prevalence of trichomoniasis as well as its risk factors in Isoko South and increasing the knowledge of the distribution pattern of the infection.

Materials and Methods: Vaginal swabs and mid-stream early morning urine were collected in universal screw-capped sterile bottles and Evepon swab sticks respectively from 841 women aged 11-50 years in the study area. These specimens were transported to the Tropical Disease Research Unit laboratory, Delta State University, Abraka for parasitological examination.

Results: Of the 841 samples collected, 372 (44.23%) samples were infected with Trichomonas. Age-related prevalence of infection showed that respondents between aged 21-30 years had the highest (55.43%) prevalence while aged 41-50 years recorded the least prevalence of 31.52%. Based on sample type, Higher Vaginal Swab (HVS) specimen had the highest prevalence of 11.18% as against 4.04% recorded for urine specimen. Relative to pregnancy conception, infection rate of 282 (46.38%) was recorded for non-pregnant women while the pregnant women accounted for 90(38.63%) of the prevalence. Occupational-related prevalence of infection revealed that students between had the highest prevalence (18.07%) of infection followed by traders (10.58%) and farmers (8.20%) with the least prevalence (7.37%) being observed amongst the civil servants. Analysis of the data showed a significant difference (p < 0.05) in the prevalence of infection between pregnant and non-pregnant respondents and between respondents of different occupational groups.

Conclusion: Combating trichomoniasis in Isoko South/Delta State requires strategies that target the individual, risk groups and the community and these must include integration of these strategies into national Sexually Transmitted Infections (STI)/ Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV) control programmes.