Immunocytochemical identification of trichomonads.

Trichomonas vaginalis is one of the more common pathogens of the genitourinary tract. Morphologic studies of trichomonal infections, however, have been hampered by the fragile nature of these thin-walled flagellates and the lack of specific histochemical procedures to identify the fragmented organisms found in tissue sections. These limitations have usually restricted positive identification to smears of freshly obtained specimens. In an attempt to overcome these limitations, a rabbit antiserum specific for Trichomonas organisms was produced by repeated subcutaneous injections of a documented strain of T vaginalis maintained in vitro. Using this antiserum, immunoperoxidase techniques have been modified so that trichomonads have been clearly identified both in smears and in paraffin-embedded tissue sections. This method seems to be useful in establishing the presence of these organisms in tissue and may subsequently contribute to the histopathologic definition of trichomoniasis in man.