English

Abstract

BACKGROUND: Trichomonas vaginalis is sometimes seen in Papanicolaou stained smears, but because emphasis is placed on malignant cells in Papanicolaou stained smears, not much is done to search for this parasite in smears. In this study, cervical and vaginal specimens were examined by conventional Papanicolaou method for the presence of Trichomonas vaginalis microscopically. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Five hundred high vaginal swabs collected from gynaecology OPD were stained with Papanicolaou stain. RESULTS: One hundred and fifty (30%) out of 500 Papanicolaou stained smears screened, were positive for Trichomonas vaginalis. Out of them 76.67% of positive smears were from asymptomatic females. Presumptive diagnosis based on perinuclear halo and complete T. vaginalis had the highest sensitivity of 69.33%, while diagnosis based on perinuclear halo alone was 50.66% and 41.33% for diagnosis based on identification of complete organisms in Pap smear. KEY-WORDS: Papanicolaou smears, Trichomonas vaginalis, perinuclear halo, INTRODUCTION: Trichomonas vaginalis is a protozoan pathogen of the human urogenital tract. The prevalence of Trichomonas vaginalis has been reported to be as high as 26% among female STD clinic patients and 22% among HIV-positive women.1 In infected female patients, symptoms include: vaginal discharge, vulvar pruritis, dysuria, and dyspareunia. Classical green, frothy, foul-smelling discharge occurs in 10% of the women. However, up to 50% of the infected female patients are asymptomatic. 2 In women, trichomoniasis may play a role in development of cervical neoplasia, postoperative infections, and adverse pregnancy outcomes and as a factor in atypical pelvic inflammatory disease and infertility. 3 The presence of T. Vaginalis in the vagina increases predisposition to HIV seroconversion. Having trichomoniasis may increase the chance that an HIV infected woman passes HIV to her sex partner(s). 4,5