Trichomonads Parasitic in Humans

G. Piekarski appears not to have been brought home to at Forty years have passed since Trussent pub­ least some clinicians. Of special importance in lished an important book in the English lan­ this connection are T. vaginalis and Pentatri­ guage on Trichomonas vaginalis Donne and uro­ chomonas hominis (Davaine), the intestinal tri­ genital trichomoniasis. During the intervening chomonads of many mammalian species, in­ four decades, much information has been accu­ cluding humans. Some practitioners still tell mulated on trichomonads parasitic in humans their patients about the possibility of an intesti­ and on the diseases they cause. In light of this, nal origin of trichomonal infection of the uro­ many parasitologists and clinicians believe that the time has come for a complete review, in genital tract. book form, of various aspects of these parasites Trichomonas vaginalis infection of new­ and of the trichomonad parasitemias. This need borns, infants, and young children constitutes has been further reinforced by the finding that, an interesting, although not extensively pur­ despite the use of effective anti trichomonal sued, area of investigation. For hitherto incom­ drugs during the past years, the prevalence of pletely understood reasons, the period of preg­ human urogenital trichomoniasis, the world's nancy appears to favor the increase of most common sexually transmitted disease, has symptomatic trichomoniasis; there is, there­ been increasing significantly. As might have fore, little doubt that infants can be infected been expected, therefore, discussion of various during birth.