Trichomonas vaginalis Infection in a Typical Urban and a Suburban Area of Rivers State Nigeria

Abstract

Aims: To assess Trichomonas vaginalis infection in a typical urban and a suburban area of Rivers state Nigeria. Place and Duration: Three research and diagnostic laboratories in Port Harcourt and its environment between January 2014 and April 2016. Methodology: High vaginal swab (HVS) was collected from a total of 1431 subjects and examined using a wet mount method after their consent was secured. Results: The socio-demographic data showed that out of the total of 1431 persons examined 28.09 % (402/1431) were traders and that represents the highest group followed by students 27.17 % (389/1431) while civil servants were the least in the group 12.79 % (183/1431). Among the studied group, more subjects 38.23 % (547/1431) had secondary school education followed by subjects that had tertiary school education 26.00 % (372/1431) while subjects without formal education were the least with 10.55% (151/1431). The overall prevalence of 0.63 % (9/1431) was recorded in present study with more infections in the Revelations laboratories, Diobu (Urban) 0.77 % followed by Diagnostrix laboratories, Diobu (Urban)  0.59 % while the least infection was recorded at Reliable Diagnostics, Ozuoba (Suburban) 0.50 %. Incidentally, the first two laboratories were in the urban area while the last where the least infection was recorded, was in suburban area, showing no significant difference (p>0.05). Age Prevalence showed that subjects within 15-25 years had the highest prevalence of 0.92 % (4/433) followed by subjects within 26-35 years with 0.68 % (3/440) while the least prevalence of zero per cent was recorded among subjects within 46-55 years. More widows (1.10 %) were infected followed by single girls (0.68 %) while the least prevalence was recorded among the married (0.40 %). Conclusion: The prevalence of T.vaginalis infection is low in Port Harcourt and environment and actually lower in the suburban area than the urban area.  This low prevalence is suggestive of the fact that there is increased health awareness, improved personal hygiene, safer sex practices through the use of preventive measures, as a result of regular campaigns mounted to reduce HIV transmissions and other sexually transmissible diseases in Port Harcourt and surrounding environment.