Trichomonas

[tmcs2011]

My partner and I were both tested for STD's back in December of 2010 with negative results. Last Friday I went in for my yearly PAP test and the results indicated that I had trichomonas. Is this possible if both partners have not been with any other partner? Can trichomonas be dormant in the human body and not be detected by these tests? What is the main source of this parasite? Does the body create this parasite?

Anxiously waiting for your response.

Thanks.

[Edward W Hook, MD]

Welcome to our Forum.  I'll try to help.  It will be difficult to determine where your infection came from.  Trichamonas is a common sexually transmitted  infection which is more easily detected in women than men.  In some persons it causes symptoms but in many women there are no symptoms. Further, many heath care providers do not regularly test for trichamonas and the Pap smear is not a particularly sensitive test so that prior evaluations, including Pap smears could have missed the infection.

Finally, trichamonas can be present in men without symptoms and, even to a great degree than for women, is rarely tested for.

Thus either you or your partner may have had trichamonas and not known it.  It will be difficult to determine when you got trichamonas or who gave it to you.  The important issue at this time is for both you and your partner to be treated.

I hope these comments will be helpful to you.  EWH  

[tmcs2011]

Can trichomonas be dormant in the human body and not be detected by these tests? What is the main source of this parasite? Does the body create this parasite?

[tmcs2011]

We Both Had a STD Test done in December and results were negative. Will STD test show the trichomonas parasite?

[Edward W Hook, MD]

Perhaps you missed it in my original reply - many times routine STD testing for both men an women does not test for trichamonas an the infection can be asymptomatic.

Trichamonas infections are usually sexually transmitted. EWH