Trichomoniasis

Symptoms of trichomoniasis

The main symptoms of trichomoniasis are a yellow-green discharge from your vagina that may smell like fish, and pain when peeing.

Symptoms can start 5 to 28 days after being infected, but sometimes you may not get them until much later.

Many people get no symptoms at all, so it's important to get tested if you think you might have trichomoniasis.

Symptoms in women

Trichomoniasis can cause symptoms in women. These symptoms can affect anyone with a vagina:

• yellow-green discharge from your vagina - this may look frothy or smell like fish
• itching, pain, soreness, swelling or redness in or around your vagina
• pain when peeing or having vaginal sex
• tummy pain

Symptoms in men

Trichomoniasis can cause symptoms in men. These symptoms can affect anyone with a penis:

• discharge from your penis
• pain when peeing
• needing to pee often
• pain or soreness in your penis, testicles (balls) or bottom, or when you ejaculate

Go to a sexual health clinic or see a GP if:

What happens at your appointment

A doctor or nurse will ask about your symptoms and sexual partners. They may need to check your penis or vagina for signs of trichomoniasis.

When you make your appointment, let them know if you would like someone else to be in the room with you (a chaperone). This could be someone you know, another nurse or a trained member of staff.

They may use a swab (like a large cotton bud) to take a sample of fluid from your penis or vagina. You may be able to do the swab yourself.

You might also be asked to give a pee sample.

You can ask to be tested even if you do not have any symptoms.

You may also have tests for other sexually transmitted infections (STIs) at the same time.

Contacting sexual partners

If you have trichomoniasis, your current and any recent sexual partners will also need to be treated.

The GP or sexual health clinic can advise you about contacting your sexual partners. This can be done without naming you.

Treatment for trichomoniasis

Trichomoniasis is treated with antibiotics, usually metronidazole. You'll take it either twice a day for 7 days or as a one-off dose.

If you have symptoms, they should start to get better within a few days of starting the antibiotics. It's important to finish the course of antibiotics even if you start to feel better.

If your symptoms do not go away, you may be given another course of antibiotics.

Do not have sex until at least 1 week after you and any sexual partners have finished treatment.

Complications of trichomoniasis

Trichomoniasis can cause serious complications if not treated, including:

• higher chance of getting or passing on HIV
• higher chance of getting bacterial vaginosis
• pelvic inflammatory disease (PID) - which can lead to pelvic pain, ectopic pregnancy or infertility
• inflammation of the prostate gland (prostatitis)

Trichomoniasis in pregnancy

If you have trichomoniasis while you're pregnant, it can cause your baby to be born early or with a low birthweight.

You can also pass trichomoniasis on to your baby when they're born, and there's a higher chance you could get sepsis after you give birth.

How to lower your risk of trichomoniasis

You can get or pass on trichomoniasis from:

• vaginal sex without a condom
• skin-to-skin contact of the genital area
• sharing sex toys

You can still pass trichomoniasis on to other people if you do not have symptoms and can get it again if you've had it before.

There are things you can do to lower your risk of catching or spreading trichomoniasis.

Sexual Health Advice

• Sexual Health Advice - Introduction and Overview
• The MenB vaccine that helps protect against gonorrhoea
• Sexual Health - Mpox and its dangers for Gay Men
• What happens when you visit an STI Clinic
• Ejaculation issues are common sexual problems in men
• The Male Menopause for men in their late 40s to early 50s
• Help and care if you have been Sexually Assaulted
• Mental health issues and self-harm are common amongst gay men