Detection of trichomoniasis in vaginal specimens by both conventional and modern molechlar tools

ABSTRACT

The aim of this study was to compare the use of wet mount, modified Diamonds media, acridine orange [AO] stain and PCR tools in the diagnosis of T. vaginalis in females. Out of 23 symptomatic cases, 21 specimens were positive for T. Vaginalis by one or more methods. Twenty-one were positive by PCR and 17 by culture, 14 by AO stain and 13 by wet mount microscopy. The PCR detected all the positive cases and no PCR negative cases proved to be positive by any other technique. So, PCR is considered the test of choice for the diagnosis of trichomoniasis. The modified Diamonds media proved to be highly sensitive and the results of the culture were significantly associated with those of PCR. The results of both wet mount and AO stain were insignificantly associated. Although wet mount is widely used, easy, rapid and inexpensive, yet it has a low sensitivity. So, negative cases should be repeated by either culture or PCR