Dr Gill Jenkins last medically reviewed this article in August 2009.
Read our Full Disclaimer and see our Links Policy for more information. Always consult your own GP if you're in any way concerned about your health.
The symptoms of this infection are often difficult to spot - especially among men.
Trichomonas vaginalis is also called trichomoniasis or shortened to TV. It's a common sexually transmitted infection caused by a tiny protozoan parasite.
TV is almost always passed from one person to another during sex. In women, the infection can live inside the cells of the vagina and in the urethra. In men, it can be found in the urethra. The infection can spread if you have vaginal sex or possibly by sharing sex toys. It's possible for a pregnant woman to pass the infection to her baby at birth.
Up to half of infected women and men will have no symptoms. Signs and symptoms can show up three to 21 days after coming into contact with TV.
Women might notice:
Men might notice:
You can have a test as soon as you think you have been in contact with TV. Testing is free on the NHS from general practice, genitourinary medicine (GUM) clinics or sexual health clinics.
Testing will involve using a swab (like a cotton bud) to take a sample of cells from the vagina, the genital area and the urethra. Sometimes TV will be found during a routine cervical screening test.
Treatment is simple and involves taking antibiotic tablets, usually metronidazole, either as a single dose or a longer course (up to a week). Some antibiotics used to treat TV interact with the combined oral contraceptive pill or contraceptive patch making them less effective, so check with your doctor or nurse. Also tell them if you are you pregnant, or think you might be, or if you are breastfeeding. This might affect the type of antibiotic you are given.
To avoid reinfection, any sexual partners should be treated too.
For most people TV will not go away without treatment, so the symptoms will remain.
You can go to your general practice, a GUM medicine clinic or a sexual health clinic. All services are confidential.
You can call fpa's helpline on 0845 122 8690 or the NHS Sexual Health Helpline on 0800 567 123.
Dr Gill Jenkins last medically reviewed this article in August 2009.
Read our Full Disclaimer and see our Links Policy for more information. Always consult your own GP if you're in any way concerned about your health.
