Serological detection of Trichomonas vaginalis infection

A study on presence of antibodies to T. vaginalis in serum was done on a group of (67) infected women with T. vaginalis, and (75) pregnant asymptomatic women, (89) non-pregnant asymptomatic women.
A serologic test, done by Ouchterlony revealed that (22.6%) sera of pregnant asymptomatic women and (16.8%) sera of non- pregnant asymptomatic women were positive for somatic killed T. vaginalis antigens while (59.7%) sera of infected women were positive for somatic killed T. vaginalis antigens, but (7.4%) of these sera were positive for the soluble antigen of T. vaginalis antigens.
It was concluded that soluble trichomonal antigens present in association with living flagellates reacting with some sera, while those present in association with dead parasites are common antigens reacting with all the sera, also the study proved the infection with T. vaginalis occurs in subclinical or asymptomatic cases. The findings presented in this work offer a new tool for epidemiologic studies and open new perspectives for vaccinations.