genital infections and reproductive complications associated with trichomonas vaginalis, neisseria gonorrhoeae, and streptococcus agalactiae in women of qom, central iran

Background: trichomonas vaginalis (t.vaginalis) and neisseria gonorrhoeae (n.gonorrhoeae) are two most common non-viral sexually transmitted infections in the world. no data are available regarding the epidemiology of genital infections in women of qom, central iran. objective: epidemiological investigation of sexually transmitted infections in genital specimens of women referred to the referral gynecology hospital in qom, central iran. materials and methods: genital swab specimens were collected from women volunteers and used for identification of bacterial and protozoal infections by conventional microbial diagnostics, pora pseudo gene lightcycler real-time pcr (for n.gonorrhoeae) and its-pcr (for t.vaginalis). results: of 420 volunteers, 277 (65.9%) had genital signs/symptoms, including 38.3% malodorous discharge, 37.9% dyspareunia, and 54.8% abdominal pain. totally, 2 isolates of streptococcus agalactiae were identified. five specimens (1.2%) in thayer-martin culture and 17 (4.1%) in real-time pcr were identified as n.gonorrhoeae. fifty-four specimens (12.9%) in wet mount, 64 (15.2%) in dorset’s culture, and 81 (19.3%) in its-pcr showed positive results for t.vaginalis. five mixed infections of t.vaginalis+ n.gonorrhoeae were found. the risk of t.vaginalis infection was increased in women with low-birth-weight (p=0.00; or=43.29), history of abortion (p=0.00; or=91.84), and premature rupture of membranes (prom) (p=0.00; or=21.75). the probability of finding nuclear leukocytes (p=0.00; or=43.34) in vaginal smear was higher in t.vaginalis infection. conclusion: the significant prevalence of trichomoniasis and gonorrhea emphasizes the need for accurate diagnosis and effective surveillance to prevent serious reproductive complications in women.