Prevalence, clinical Presentation and risk factors for Trichomonas Vaginalis in Reunion Island between 2020 and 2022.

OBJECTIVES

Trichomonas vaginalis (TV) is a little known sexually transmitted infection (STI) that presents complications for infected individuals. In the absence of data in Reunion Island, our aim was to estimate the prevalence of TV and to study the risk factors and clinical signs associated with this infection.

METHOD

Between January 2020 and December 2022, all persons tested for TV at the University Hospital (UH) and STI centres (CeGIDDs) of Reunion Island were included in this study. TV prevalence was estimated based on the results of the multiplex PCR tests on samples collected from genital, anal or oropharyngeal sites.

RESULTS

Out of the 17,261 samples (from 13,847 patients) included, 310 were positive for TV (30 from CeGIDDs and 280 from UH), representing overall TV prevalence of 2.20 % (95 % CI: 1.99-2.49). The prevalence of TV was 0.80 % (95 % CI: 0.52-1.10) in CeGIDDs (n = 3,733) and 2.80 % (95 % CI: 2.45-3.09) in UH (n = 10,114). In the CeGIDD population, prevalence of TV was 1.15 % (95 % CI: 0.71-1.8) for women, compared with 0.47 % (95 % CI: 0.22-0.90) for men. TV was statistically significantly associated with precariousness (aOR 3.13, 95 % CI: 1.46-6.46), and 23.3 % (7/30, 95 % CI: 8.20-38.47) of TV-positive patients had symptoms.

CONCLUSION

Compared to other countries, Reunion Island is one of the lower-risk areas for TV. Its presence is associated with poor living conditions and a paucity of clinical signs.