Trichomoniasis in Singapore is a very common infection. It isn’t very serious, although it’s uncomfortable, causing itching and a fishy-smelling discharge.
Keywords: trichomoniasis, trichomoniasis in Singapore, Singapore trichomoniasis
Many people haven’t heard of trichomoniasis, but it’s one of the most common sexually transmitted infections in Singapore. Trichomoniasis, commonly known as trich or “trick,” is caused by a single-celled organism that can live only within the human genital tract. It spreads by the sharing of sexual fluids; this can happen not only during penetrative sex, but during manual sex play or sharing of sex toys.
Symptoms
Trichomoniasis causes symptoms similar to those of other sexually transmitted diseases. There is usually discharge from the vagina or penis. Women often have a lot of this discharge, and it’s often reported to smell like fish; men often have a smaller amount of discharge. There is often pain or burning with urination or ejaculation. Women usually have itching of the vagina, which worsens when the vagina is touched.
While trichomoniasis, unlike other sexually transmitted infections, does not usually spread into the deeper reproductive organs and throughout the body, it has been linked to a few serious health problems. In pregnant women, trichomoniasis may cause babies to be born early or have low birth weight. A few studies have linked it to cancer of the cervix and prostate, although it’s unclear that trichomoniasis actually causes these problems. Having trichomoniasis makes the transmission of HIV more likely, because the irritation caused by the disease provides an easier portal for the virus to enter the bloodstream.
Diagnosis
There is no screening test for trichomoniasis; testing for this disease is done only if symptoms are present. The test consists of taking a sample of the discharge on a swab and sending it to the laboratory for analysis. Because many different infections can cause discharge, the diagnosis of trichomoniasis requires this test to prove that it’s the cause of the symptoms.
Treatment
Trichomoniasis is a very easy infection to treat in most cases. One dose of an oral antibiotic usually takes care of the problem, although it may take up to a week for the symptoms to fully disappear. In up to 5% of cases, this treatment doesn’t work, and you’ll need a longer course of medication or a different antibiotic to get rid of the parasites; if your symptoms aren’t gone in a week, you’ll need to go back to your doctor.
It’s important for your partner also to be treated, even if he or she doesn’t have any symptoms. Otherwise, it’s very common for women to experience repeated infections with trichomoniasis, given to them over and over by their asymptomatically infected partners. If you’ve had multiple partners, they should all be treated, to stop the spread of the infection.
Prevention
The way to prevent trichomoniasis (and other sexually transmitted infections) is to prevent the mixing of sexual fluids. This means using a condom (which must be put on before sex starts, rather than partway through) for vaginal sex. Sex toys that are shared should either be washed thoroughly between uses or should be covered with a new condom for each partner. Don’t put your hands into your partner’s genitals and also into your own unless you wash them between people.
References
Trichomoniasis at Shim Clinic, Singapore