title: Comparison of four diagnostic techniques for detection of Trichomonas vaginalis infection in females attending tertiary care hospital of North India.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Trichomonas vaginalis causes a common sexually transmitted disease trichomoniasis, which may lead to increased risk of transmission of human immunodeficiency virus infection and other pelvic inflammatory diseases. Wet mount examination is the most common test for diagnosis, but it has low sensitivity. Acridine orange staining can be used for diagnosis, but it requires special microscopic facility. Culture is considered as the gold standard, but it takes a long time for diagnosis. OSOM Trichomonas Rapid Test is a recently introduced rapid method based on immunochromatographic assay of trichomonal protein antigens. Hence, the present study was done to compare these four diagnostic techniques for detection of trichomoniasis in females with vaginal discharge.
  
  
  METHODS
  Vaginal swabs were taken from 835 female patients and wet mount examination, acridine orange staining, culture in Kupferberg medium, and OSOM Trichomonas Rapid Test, were performed.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Out of 835 patients included in our study, 68 (8.1%) positive cases of trichomoniasis were detected by culture. OSOM Trichomonas Rapid Test detected 63 (7.5%) cases, acridine orange staining detected 53 (6.3%) cases, whereas, wet mount examination detected only 45 (5.4%) positive cases. OSOM Trichomonas Rapid Test performed well and showed high sensitivity and specificity of 88.2% and 99.6%, respectively.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  As OSOM Trichomonas Rapid Test is a point of care test and gave better results than both wet mount examination and acridine orange staining; it can be used as a routine test in peripheral areas lacking laboratory facilities.
authors: Razia
authors: R
authors: Khatoon
authors: Department of Microbiology, Era's Lucknow Medical College and Hospital, Lucknow; Department of Microbiology, Jawaharlal Nehru Medical College and Hospital, A.M.U., Aligarh, Uttar Pradesh, India.
authors: Noor
authors: N
authors: Jahan
authors: Siraj
authors: S
authors: Ahmad
authors: Haris Manzoor
authors: HM
authors: Khan
authors: Tamkin
authors: T
authors: Rabbani
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D002846:Chromatography, Affinity / Q000379:methods*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007194:India; D008875:Middle Aged; D019095:Point-of-Care Systems; D012680:Sensitivity and Specificity; D062606:Tertiary Care Centers; D014247:Trichomonas Vaginitis / Q000175:diagnosis*; D014246:Trichomonas vaginalis / Q000302:isolation & purification*; D055815:Young Adult