Trichomonas vaginalis - Treating trichomoniasis
- Introduction
- Symptoms of trichomoniasis
- Diagnosing trichomoniasis
- Treating trichomoniasis
- Preventing trichomoniasis
Trichomoniasis is unlikely to go away without treatment. The infection may cure itself in rare cases, but you risk passing the infection on to someone else if you are not treated.
Antibiotics
Trichomoniasis is usually treated quickly and easily with antibiotics.
Most people are prescribed an antibiotic called metronidazole which, if taken correctly, is very effective. You will usually have to take metronidazole twice a day, for five to seven days.
Sometimes this antibiotic can be prescribed in a single, larger dose. However, this may have a higher risk of side effects and it is not recommended for pregnant or breastfeeding women as a precaution.
Metronidazole can cause nausea, vomiting and a slight metallic taste in your mouth. It is best to take it after eating food. Contact your doctor for advice if you start vomiting because the treatment will not be effective if you are unable to swallow the tablets.
Do not drink alcohol while taking metronidazole and for at least 48 hours after finishing the course of antibiotics. Drinking alcohol while taking this medicine can cause more severe side effects.
A specialist can recommend alternative treatments if metronidazole is unsuitable for you (for example, if you are allergic to it).
Follow-up
If you take your antibiotics correctly, you will not normally need any follow-up tests or examinations for trichomoniasis.
However, if your symptoms remain or recur after treatment, or if your original laboratory test produced a negative result for trichomoniasis, you may require further testing to see whether your symptoms are being caused by a different sexually transmitted infection (STI).
If you have unprotected sex before your treatment is finished, you need to return to your GP surgery or sexual health clinic because you may have become reinfected. You must also return if you:
- did not complete your course of antibiotics
- did not take your antibiotics correctly (according to the instructions)
- vomited shortly after taking your antibiotics
You may need more antibiotics or a different form of treatment.
Sexual partners
You should avoid having sex while you are being treated for trichomoniasis, as you may become reinfected.
If you were prescribed a single dose of antibiotics, you need to avoid having sex for seven days after you have taken the medication.
It is very important that your current sexual partner and any other recent partners are also tested and treated. If your sexual partner is not treated, this increases the risk of reinfection.
© Crown Copyright 2009
