Question

You see a 20-year old female for complaints of vaginal itching, discharge, pain with intercourse and discomfort with urination. She has had 3 different sexual partners over the past 2 years. As part of your workup, you do a wet mount of vaginal secretions and see a flagellated organism about the size of a white blood cell with "twitching motility" that makes you think of Trichomonas vaginalis. Which statement is false regarding Trichomonas?

A. Men are most likely asymptomatic but efficient transmitters of this organism
B. The cyst form of the life cycle is the most common method of transmission
C. Simultaneous treatment of the patient and her sexual contacts will decrease the chance of recurrences
D. In severe cases the regional mucosa may be red with petechial lesions and the cervix has been described as a "strawberry cervix"
E. Patients found to have Trichomonas should be evaluated for other venereal transmitted diseases

Answer 1

The false statement regarding Trichomonas vaginalis is that the cyst form of the life cycle is the most common method of transmission, as Trichomonas does not form cysts and is transmitted in the trophozoite form.

Step-by-step explanation:

When considering the statements about Trichomonas vaginalis, it's important to note that Trichomonas vaginalis is a sexually transmitted protozoan parasite that causes trichomoniasis, often marked by symptoms such as vaginal itching, discharge, and dysuria. The key feature for diagnosis of trichomoniasis is the flagellated organism observed under a microscope, exhibiting a 'twitching motility.' The transmission of Trichomonas occurs typically via trophozoite form, not a cyst form, because Trichomonas does not have a cyst stage in its life cycle.

The accurate statements are as follows: (A) Men are often asymptomatic but can effectively transmit the organism, (C) Treating the patient as well as all sexual contacts can help prevent recurrences, (D) In severe infection cases, the regional mucosa might be inflamed showing a 'strawberry cervix' appearance, and (E) A patient with Trichomonas should be evaluated for other sexually transmitted infections (STIs) due to the potential of co-infection.

The false statement, therefore, is (B) The cyst form of the life cycle is the most common method of transmission. This is incorrect because Trichomonas does not have a cyst stage and is transmitted through its trophozoite form.