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Trichomoniasis pathophysiology

Editor-In-Chief: C. Michael Gibson, M.S., M.D. [1]; Associate Editor(s)-in-Chief: Maliha Shakil, M.D. [2], Aysha Anwar, M.B.B.S[3]

Overview

Overview

Trichomonas vaginalis, the causative agent of trichomoniasis, is an anaerobic, flagellated protozoan parasite.[1] The parasite is sexually transmitted through contact with an infected partner. Women can acquire the disease from infected men or women, but men usually contract it only from infected women.[2][3]

Pathophysiology

Pathophysiology

Trichomonas vaginalis, the causative agent of trichomoniasis, is an anaerobic, flagellated protozoan parasite.[1] The vagina is the most common site of infection in women, and the urethra is the most common site of infection in men. The parasite is sexually transmitted through contact with an infected partner. Women can acquire the disease from infected men or women, but men usually contract it only from infected women.[2][3]

Life Cycle of Trichomonas vaginalis

  • Resides in the female lower genital tract and the male urethra and prostate
  • Replicates by binary fission
  • Does not appear to have a cyst form, and does not survive well in the external environment
  • Transmission occur among humans, its only known host, primarily by sexual intercourse
Life cycle of Trichomonas vaginalis – Source: https://www.cdc.gov/


Molecular Biology

A draft sequence of the Trichomoniasis genome was published on January 12, 2007 in the journal Science, confirming that the genome has at least 26,000 genes, a similar number to the human genome.[4]

References

References

  1. 1.0 1.1 Trichomonas vaginalis. Wikipedia.https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Trichomonas_vaginalis Accessed on January 26, 2016
  2. 2.0 2.1 “STD Facts – Trichomoniasis”. Retrieved 2012-12-27.
  3. 3.0 3.1 “DPDx – Trichomoniasis”. Retrieved 2012-12-27.
  4. “Scientists crack the genome of the parasite causing trichomoniasis”. Retrieved 2012-12-27.


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