Frequency of Trichomoniasis in Patients Admitted To Outpatient Clinics in Hamadan (2007) and Relationship between Clinical Diag-nosis and Laboratory Findings

Background: Trichomoniasis is recognized as a major sexually transmitted dis-ease (STD) in the world and has the highest prevalence and incidence of STD. the prevalence strongly is related to cultural and social norms in different socie-ties, in relation to sexual partnership, monogamy, or polygamy. Our objective was to describe the frequency and natural history of infection and correlation of clini cal signs with parasite detection. Methods: From February 2006 to March 2007, in a cross sectional study, clinical and wet mount examination of vaginal smear along with culture were performed on 683 women attending to private outpatient clinics in Hamadan, western Iran. Trichomoniasis was diagnosed based on major clinical symptoms. Diagnosis was con firmed using wet mount microscopically and culture in Diamond medium. Results: Only 2.2% of patients with clinically diagnosed trichomonal vaginitis were positive for Trichomonas vaginalis by wet smear and culture. The mean age of patients was 33.6±9.7 yr, and majority of them were married and non-pregnant. Some (5 patients) infected cases were divorced and others (7 patients) hus band were car driver. There was not statistically significant relationship be tween clinical diagnosis and laboratory findings (P > 0.5), because the most of pa tients diagnosed trichomoniasis, were infected by Candida or other vaginal infec tions. Conclusion: Because of special cultural background, the vaginal trichomoniasis has minor importance problem in this population and clinical diagnosis is not effi cient for treatment decision.