[Question #3019] Trichomoniasis questions

92 months ago

Hello,
I have some questions about trichomoniasis.

1. Could I get trichomoniasis from the following:

- Making penetration movements while sitting on top of a man, while I am wearing underwear (which sifted a bit) and pants and he wearing underwear or nothing (while there was a bit precum on his penis).
- The sticking out part of my inner labia touched the penis of a man (this probably did not happen, but just to be sure)

-A man touching my vagina (If maybe he had recently touched his own penis).

2. Can trichomoniasis cure by itself? I had the above sexual contact, and I tested negative on trichomoniasis 8 weeks later. Could it be though that in the meantime I had trichomoniasis, but it was cured by itself? I read that this is sometimes possible, but how soon can that happen? I would like to know if I could have been a risk for others during that time.

3. Could I transfer trichomoniasis by towels or toiletpaper? I used a towel for my vagina and 3 hours later someone used this towel to dry his hands. Also, I had vaginal fluid on my fingers, I touched the toiletpaper (so that there was vaginal fluid on it) and 3 hours later, a man used this toiletpaper. I read on the internet that trichomoniasis can survive for a couple of hours in vaginal fluid in a humid environment? The ventilation system of my house doesn’t work, so the environment was very humid. Could this be a risk?

I ask these questions because I have pregnant people in my environment (the wife of the man that used my toilet for example) and I do not want to put her in danger.

Edward W. Hook M.D.

92 months ago

Welcome to our Forum. I'll be glad to comment on your questions. Before I get o your questions, let me comment that trichamonas is one of the most common STIs, certainly more common than gonorrhea or chlamydia. The infection can be present for long periods without symptoms in women and can be asymptomatic in men as well. In answer to your questions:

1. Studies of trichamonas transmission have not been performed to the same extent as for gonorrhea, chlamydia and other STIs. No STIs however are transmitted through material (such as underwear) so that if there was not direct contact, there is no risk for infection. There is a theoretical possibility that transfer of genital secretions on a persons hands to a partners' vagina could transmit trichamonas but if it happens, it is VERY, VERY rare.

2. In science we can never say never as strange things do happen however and certainly trichamonas can go away without therapy but in the situation you describe, it seems very unlikely that you would acquire infection and cure it yourself in 8 weeks. It is far more likely that you were not infected.

3. No, trichamonas is not transmitted on contaminated toilet paper, towels of toilet sites.

I hope these comments are helpful. I am not precisely sure why you are worried about the possibility of trichamonas but from what you describe it sounds very unlikely that you were infected. EWH

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92 months ago

Thank you very much for your response. I have some additional questions.

1) I read some scientific articles that say that trichomonas can survive for a couple of hours outside the body, as long as the environment is not to dry. (for example, on toilets or towels). So for example it could live in vaginal fluid. Why is it impossible then that it could be transmitted through toilets or toilet paper (which had a bit vaginal fluid on it, as I described)?

2) Is it still impossible when there was a lot of vaginal fluid on the toilet paper? If i had it on my hand, wiped it on the toilet paper, and forgot to throw away that part of the toilet paper and another person uses that part of the toilet paper 3 hours later?
3) Does it make a differences that my ventillation system was broke down and ot was very humid in my house?

4) What is the danger exactly when having trichomonas while being pregnant? Could it cause a miscarriage? Or problems with the development of the child?

Thank you in advance!

Edward W. Hook M.D.

92 months ago

Straight to your additional questions:

1. Survival is not the same as being infectious and micro-organisms become non-infectious long before they are dead. There is no good scientific data to suggest that trichamonas is acquired off of toilet seats or wet towels. there are a few reports which have suggested that persons have acquired trichomoniasis from wet towels but these reports are VERY rare and not particularly well substantiated. If this form or transmission occurs, it is rarer than being struck by lightening.

2. Please see above. I find this sort of possibility implausible.

3. There are no scientific data to suggest that high humidity changes environmental survival or infectiousness of trichamonas.

4. Trichamonas can cause spontaneous abortions in cattle but the topic has been extensively studied in humans and the results are inconclusive at best, favoring that it is not an important cause of miscarriage. Trichamonas is quite common and if it were an important cause of miscarriage there would be better data to support the possibility. There is nothing to suggest that trichamonas infections have any important role or effect on child development.

From your questions it is clear that for some, unstated reason you are VERY worried about trichamonas. It is not clear what that concern is based on. I hope my answers have been helpful. EWH

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