Trichomonas vaginalis: prevalence in an urban indigenous population and validation of new assays

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The infection called trichomonas is the commonest sexually transmitted infection (STI) world-wide. It is caused by a parasite and is particularly common amongst disadvantaged, poor communities. It is important to diagnose and treat (readily available treatments exist) this infection because it is linked with early birth in pregnant women and increases the spread of HIV-AIDS virus. The diagnosis has not changed for decades until recently, when a new more sensitive test became available.Wehave adapted it to work on self-collected specimens such as in-out tampons or urines. Proof that this new diagnostic tool is better, is needed in Australia in high-risk groups such as Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities where other STIs have already been shown to be at high rates. How this parasite causes disease in humans is poorly studied. We plan to test this new diagnostic method and compare it to traditional tests in a high-risk population and to ultimately study how the parasite causes disease.