Trichomonas vaginalis Among Teens

Trichomonas vaginalis is usually asymptomatic. To assess incidence of T. vaginalis infection among high-risk adolescents, investigators analyzed data from 467 sexually active black female teens (age range, 13–19 years) who attended a U.S. inner city clinic and were enrolled in a larger prospective study on sexually transmitted infections. T. vaginalis infection was diagnosed with wet mount of vaginal fluid, culture, or both.

Fourteen percent of participants had T. vaginalis infection at study entry. Risk factors for trichomoniasis included concurrent gonococcal infection and report of a partner ≥5 years older than the participant. Treatment with single-dose metronidazole was provided and was recommended for partners. The overall rate of new …