Patient education: Trichomoniasis (The Basics)

What is trichomoniasis? — Trichomoniasis is an infection people can get during sex. Infections that are spread during sex are called "sexually transmitted infections" ("STIs").

What are the symptoms of trichomoniasis? — Some people with trichomoniasis have no symptoms. This is true for most males and some females.

In females, symptoms of trichomoniasis include 1 or more of the following:

●Vaginal discharge that smells bad and might be foamy and greenish-yellow ("vaginal discharge" is the medical term to describe the small amount of fluid that comes out of the vagina)

●Itching or burning of the vagina or the area around the vagina

●Burning or pain during urination

●Pain during sex

In males, symptoms include:

●Discharge from the penis

●Burning or pain during urination

Should I see a doctor or nurse? — Yes. See your doctor or nurse if you have any of the symptoms listed above. You should also see a doctor or nurse if any of your sex partners have had trichomoniasis within the past few months. Even if you have no symptoms, you could still be infected.

Is there a test for trichomoniasis? — Yes. For females, the test involves doing a vaginal exam and taking a sample of vaginal discharge. In males, the doctor might test a sample of urine or discharge from the penis.

Your doctor might want to test you for other STIs, too.

How is trichomoniasis treated? — Trichomoniasis is treated with medicine that comes in pills. There are a few prescription medicines that can treat it:

●Metronidazole (sample brand name: Flagyl)

●Tinidazole (brand name: Tindamax)

●Secnidazole (brand name: Solosec)

If you learn that you have trichomoniasis, you should contact all of the people that you have had sex with recently to let them know. That's because they might have trichomoniasis, too. If they have trichomoniasis, they need treatment even if they have no symptoms. If you are infected, anyone you have sex with should be treated at the same time. Otherwise, your partners could infect you again after you are treated.

While you are getting treated for trichomoniasis, do not have sex with anyone. Wait until you have taken all of your medicine and have no more symptoms. If you are female, your doctor will test you again after treatment to make sure that you haven't been infected again. This repeat test is done between 3 weeks and 3 months after finishing treatment.

What happens if I don't get treated? — If you don't get treatment for your trichomoniasis, your symptoms can get worse. Also, you can keep spreading the infection to your sex partners. You might also have a higher chance of getting the virus that causes AIDS.

In pregnant people, trichomoniasis can cause the baby to be born early.

Can trichomoniasis be prevented? — You can lower your chances of getting trichomoniasis if you:

●Use a condom every time you have sex.

●Avoid sex when you or your partner have any symptoms that could be caused by an infection. These include itching, discharge, or pain with urination.

More on this topic

Patient education: Vaginal discharge (The Basics)
Patient education: Sexually transmitted infections (The Basics)
Patient education: Chlamydia and gonorrhea (The Basics)
Patient education: Genital herpes (The Basics)
Patient education: Anogenital warts (The Basics)
Patient education: HIV/AIDS (The Basics)
Patient education: How to use vaginal medicines (The Basics)

Patient education: Vaginal discharge in adult women (Beyond the Basics)