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Trichomoniasis
Make it clearer
Trichomoniasis is a sexually transmitted infection, and what causes it is Trichomonas vaginalis, a protozoan, meaning a parasite made of a single cell. It isn't a bacterium or a yeast: it belongs to a different family of organisms. It settles mainly in the lower genital tract or in the urethra, the tube urine passes through, and it spreads from one person to another mostly through sexual contact.
Plenty of people carry it without noticing anything at all. When symptoms do show up, the irritation, burning, or discharge look just like those from other causes of vaginitis or urethritis, which are inflammation of the vagina and inflammation of the urethra. It's like trying to recognize someone by the clothes they have on: looking at what the symptoms look like isn't enough to tell who's behind them.
In brief
Trichomoniasis is a sexually transmitted infection caused by Trichomonas vaginalis, a protozoan: a single-celled parasite, not a bacterium or a yeast.
The parasite lives mainly in the lower genital tract or the urethra and spreads primarily through sexual contact.
Many people have no symptoms. When symptoms do appear, irritation, burning, or discharge can resemble other causes of vaginitis or urethritis; appearance alone does not identify the cause.
Sources (2)
- Centers for Disease Control and PreventionAbout TrichomoniasisPublished
- Centers for Disease Control and PreventionDPDx: Trichomoniasis
This page explains the topic in general terms; it does not tell anyone what treatment to follow.
Updated