The prevalence of trichomoniasis in young adults in the United States.
OBJECTIVE
The prevalence of trichomoniasis in the general population of the United States is unknown. This study provides the first population-based prevalence estimates of trichomoniasis among young adults in the United States.


METHODS
The National Longitudinal Study of Adolescent Health (Add Health) is an ongoing prospective cohort study. In a cross-sectional analysis of Wave III of Add Health (N = 12,449), we determined the prevalence of trichomoniasis using a polymerase chain reaction assay.


RESULTS
The estimated overall prevalence of trichomoniasis in U.S. young adults was 2.3% (95% confidence interval [CI], 1.8-2.7%). The prevalence was slightly higher among women (2.8%; 95% CI, 2.2-3.6%) than men (1.7%; 95% CI, 1.3-2.2%). The prevalence increased with age and varied by region, with the south having the highest prevalence (2.8%; 95% CI, 2.2-3.5%). The prevalence was highest among black women (10.5%; 95% CI, 8.3-13.3%) and lowest among white women (1.1%; 95% CI, 0.8-1.6%). Among men, the prevalence was highest among Native Americans (4.1%; 95% CI, 0.4-29.3%) and blacks (3.3%; 95% CI, 2.2-4.9%), and lowest among white men (1.3%; 95% CI, 0.9-1.8%).


CONCLUSIONS
Trichomoniasis is moderately prevalent among the general U.S. population of young adults and disturbingly high among certain racial/ethnic groups.
Miller
William C
WC
Department of Medicine, School of Medicine, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, North Carolina 27516, USA. bill_miller@unc.edu
Swygard
Heidi
H
Hobbs
Marcia M
MM
Ford
Carol A
CA
Handcock
Mark S
MS
Morris
Martina
M
Schmitz
John L
JL
Cohen
Myron S
MS
Harris
Kathleen Mullan
KM
Udry
J Richard
JR
D000293:Adolescent; D000294:Adolescent Behavior; D016497:Adolescent Health Services; D000328:Adult; D000367:Age Factors; D000818:Animals; D016054:DNA, Protozoan / Q000032:analysis; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D016133:Polymerase Chain Reaction; D015995:Prevalence; D011446:Prospective Studies; D012307:Risk Factors; D012737:Sex Factors; D014245:Trichomonas Infections / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000208:ethnology / Q000209:etiology / Q000517:prevention & control; D014246:Trichomonas vaginalis / Q000235:genetics / Q000302:isolation & purification; D014481:United States / Q000453:epidemiology
D016054:DNA, Protozoan