Trichomoniasis

Trichomoniasis (trich) is treated with an oral Reference antiprotozoal medicine, such as metronidazole or tinidazole. The medicine is taken either as a single dose or as multiple doses.

Your sex partner(s) should be treated at the same time you are being treated. This increases the cure rate and reduces the possibility of further transmission or reinfection. Sexual intercourse should be avoided during treatment until symptoms are gone and until partners have been treated. It is best to avoid sex for 1 week after treatment with a single dose of metronidazole. Male partners may not have symptoms but still need treatment.

People who are infected with Reference HIV Opens New Window receive the same treatment for trich as those who are HIV-negative.

Trichomoniasis in pregnant women

Trichomoniasis during pregnancy raises the risk of Reference premature rupture of membranes Opens New Window (PROM) and premature delivery. Treating the infection doesn't appear to reduce this risk.^{Reference 3} If you are pregnant and have trichomoniasis, talk to your doctor about the pros and cons of treatment.

Vaginal Reference suppositories Opens New Window and creams aren't effective in curing trich, but they may reduce discomfort and swelling in the genital area.

Follow-up

• No follow-up is needed if symptoms go away. It is possible to get trich again, so it is important to take measures to reduce your risk for trich and other sexually transmitted infections (STIs).
• If symptoms do not go away, you may need to take the medicine again.
• If treatment fails after this and you have not been reinfected, further testing may be done to find out the cause of your symptoms. It is possible to have a strain of trich that is resistant to antiprotozoal medicines. High-dose tinidazole may be used for metronidazole-resistant trich organisms and is as effective as metronidazole in curing trich.^{Reference 5}

If trich goes untreated or isn't properly treated, complications can develop, such as Reference pelvic inflammatory disease (PID) Opens New Window in women or conditions that contribute to Reference infertility Opens New Window in men.^{Reference 6}

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