Trichomonas
Basics
Description
- Sexually transmitted disease (STI)
- Associated with high prevalence of other STIs
- Causes urogenital infections
- Sequelae:
- May cause premature rupture of membranes or preterm labor in pregnancy
- May cause low–birth-weight newborns
- Increased risk PID, infertility, HIV
- May facilitate transmission of HIV
- Prevalence:
- 35% of women treated in STI clinics
- Female prevalence 5–27% depending on clinic population
- Male prevalence 4–10%
- Incubation 4–28 d
- May be asymptomatic
Etiology
Trichomonas vaginalis: (T. vaginalis):
- Flagellated protozoan:
- Commonly found in vagina, urethra, bladder, and Skene glands
- Oral and rectal possible
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Citation
Schaider, Jeffrey J., et al., editors. "Trichomonas." 5-Minute Emergency Consult, 6th ed., Lippincott Williams & Wilkins, 2020. Emergency Central, emergency.unboundmedicine.com/emergency/view/5-Minute_Emergency_Consult/307408/0/Trichomonas.
Trichomonas. In: Schaider JJJ, Barkin RMR, Hayden SRS, et al, eds. 5-Minute Emergency Consult. Lippincott Williams & Wilkins; 2020. https://emergency.unboundmedicine.com/emergency/view/5-Minute_Emergency_Consult/307408/0/Trichomonas. Accessed June 12, 2026.
Trichomonas. (2020). In Schaider, J. J., Barkin, R. M., Hayden, S. R., Wolfe, R. E., Barkin, A. Z., Shayne, P., & Rosen, P. (Eds.), 5-Minute Emergency Consult (6th ed.). Lippincott Williams & Wilkins. https://emergency.unboundmedicine.com/emergency/view/5-Minute_Emergency_Consult/307408/0/Trichomonas
Trichomonas [Internet]. In: Schaider JJJ, Barkin RMR, Hayden SRS, Wolfe RER, Barkin AZA, Shayne PP, Rosen PP, editors. 5-Minute Emergency Consult. Lippincott Williams & Wilkins; 2020. [cited 2026 June 12]. Available from: https://emergency.unboundmedicine.com/emergency/view/5-Minute_Emergency_Consult/307408/0/Trichomonas.
* Article titles in AMA citation format should be in sentence-case
TY - ELEC
T1 - Trichomonas
ID - 307408
ED - Barkin,Adam Z,
ED - Shayne,Philip,
ED - Rosen,Peter,
ED - Schaider,Jeffrey J,
ED - Barkin,Roger M,
ED - Hayden,Stephen R,
ED - Wolfe,Richard E,
BT - 5-Minute Emergency Consult
UR - https://emergency.unboundmedicine.com/emergency/view/5-Minute_Emergency_Consult/307408/0/Trichomonas
PB - Lippincott Williams & Wilkins
ET - 6
DB - Emergency Central
DP - Unbound Medicine
ER -

5-Minute Emergency Consult

