Prevalence of Trichomoniasis and Determination of in Vitro Susceptibility of Isolated Parasites to Metronidazole in Women Referred to Health Centers in Arak, Iran, in 2020

Background and Objective: Trichomoniasis is the most common sexually transmitted parasitic disease in the world. Due to its importance and the need for recognizing its prevalence and epidemiology, this study was conducted to determine the rate of T. vaginalis infection in women referred to Health Centers in Arak, Iran, in 2020. Materials and Methods: In this cross-sectional study, from 630 women undergoing genital examinations, a sample of the vaginal swab was prepared, kept in a special container, and transferred to the laboratory  within 2 hours. Furthermore, a questionnaire containing demographic characteristics and clinical signs of patients was completed. The samples were examined using two methods of wet smear and culture in a Diamond medium. The obtained data were recorded and analyzed. Results: According to the results, 41.5% of the participants were in the age group of 25 to 34 years. The prevalence of trichomoniasis in the study population was 0.9%. The rate of infection was not related to age and education level; however, it was related to the marital status of patients (P<0.003). The most common symptom in patients was vaginal discharge, which was present in 67.1% of the women. Infection of patients showed statistically significant differences with different intensities of vaginal discharge, consistency of vaginal discharge, as well as itching and burning. The minimum lethal dose of metronidazole was determined to be 6.2 μg/ml in 24 hours and 1.6 μg/ml in 48 hours. Conclusion: The prevalence of trichomoniasis in this population was relatively low and was associated with marital status, clinical symptoms, discharge and consistency of vaginal discharge, as well as burning and itching. Moreover, the investigated samples were sensitive to metronidazole.