Trichomonas vaginalis in Vanuatu

Abstract

To assess the prevalence of Trichomonas vaginalis in two island populations of Vanuatu using the Pap smear as the screening technique. Women were randomly selected from specific sites on the islands of Efate (urban setting) and Ambae (rural setting). Pap smears were collected, screened and reported. The first collection site was the Women's Health/Antenatal Care Clinic at Vila Central Hospital in Port Vila, the capital city located on the island of Efate, and the second collection site was a rural village on a sparsely populated inhabited northern island, Ambae. A total of 905 Ni-Vanuatu women participants: Efate (n = 562) 62%, and Ambae (n = 343) 38%. The mean age was 35.8 years: Efate 32.6 years, and Ambae 40.8 years. The presence or absence of T. vaginalis in these Pap smears was documented during the study's cervical screening process. The overall prevalence of T. vaginalis within the study participants was 25.3%. Almost half of the infected sample group were in the age group of 30-39 years (43.8%). The prevalence of T. vaginalis in Efate was 14.7%, compared with 43.4% in Ambae. The prevalence of T. vaginalis in Vanuatu women is significantly higher compared with developed countries. Women in rural settings are less likely to have access to sexually transmitted disease prevention and treatment programs, thus contributing to high infection rates compared with women in urban settings. Cultural and educational differences in the rural setting might also contribute to higher sexually transmitted disease rates among these women.