title: Trichomonas vaginalis: investigation of a novel diagnostic method in urine samples using cysteine proteinase 4 gene and PCR technique.
abstract: Trichomonas vaginalis is the agent of a highly prevalent sexually transmitted disease that leads to vaginitis, urethritis, ectocervicitis and has been associated with human immunodeficiency virus (HIV). Detection of T. vaginalis based on wet-mount microscopy and culture methods is insensitive and time consuming, respectively. Thus the quest for reliable PCR techniques of T. vaginalis in vaginal discharge and urine sample is more importance. In this study, 500 urine and vaginal-discharge samples were collected from women referred to Sexual Transmitted Disease Clinic of Mirzakuchakkhan Hospital in Tehran, Iran between May 2008 and March 2009. Wet-mount and culture methods were done on the vaginal discharges, and PCR assay targeting cysteine proteinase 4 (CP4) was performed on the urine samples. The present study demonstrated 16 (3.2%) of patients were infected with T. vaginalis using culture and wet-mount, whereas PCR assay using CP4 could detect 12 (2.4%) positivity. Sensitivity and specificity of urine PCR assay compared to culture were 80% (95% CI, 54-96) and 99.6% (95% CI, 98.96-100), respectively. These results indicate that using urine-based detection method for T. vaginalis may not be appropriate in women.
authors.affiliation: Medical Parasitology and Mycology Department, School of Public Health, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran.
authors.forename: Mansoureh
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Vatanshenassan
authors.forename: Sassan
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Rezaie
authors.forename: Mehdi
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Mohebali
authors.forename: Nasrin
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Niromand
authors.forename: Bahram
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Kazemi
authors.forename: Zahra
authors.initials: Z
authors.lastname: Babaei
authors.forename: Mostafa
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Rezaeian
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D057056:Cysteine Proteases / Q000235:genetics*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D016133:Polymerase Chain Reaction / Q000379:methods* / Q000592:standards; D011237:Predictive Value of Tests; D015203:Reproducibility of Results; D012680:Sensitivity and Specificity; D014247:Trichomonas Vaginitis / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000469:parasitology / Q000652:urine; D014246:Trichomonas vaginalis / Q000201:enzymology / Q000235:genetics / Q000302:isolation & purification*; D014556:Urine / Q000469:parasitology*; D014621:Vagina / Q000469:parasitology
chemical_list: D057056:Cysteine Proteases