Sexual Education Can Prevent Trichomoniasis

by Elizabeth Campbell

Trichomoniasis is quite a popular infection, which can be spread relatively quickly, and it can affect about 30% of the women who are active from the sexual point of view and 25% of men in this category. It is an infection, which can affect only genital and urinary areas. They are the urethra in the case of men, and the urethra and the vagina in the case of women.

A microscopic parasite known as Trichomonas Vaginalis is the cause of this infection.

Trichomoniasis can be contracted through vaginal sex and use of contaminated sexual toys which is now in vogue. The disease is not transferable through oral sex. However, use of protection should not be disregarded notwithstanding your sexual preferences.

To continue, you must take into consideration another aspect as well. As it has been proven that the parasite can survive sometime in the outer environment too, the infection can be triggered by contact with infected underwear.

Girls should take precaution when borrowing personal garments such as bathing suits or underpants as they could get infected if the owner of these things is infected. Using other people’s towel, especially for drying the genital area could really be a big risk. It would be much more preferable to be cautious than to acquire the disease and have it treated afterwards.

There is also the risk to transmit the infection from the mother to the baby if it is a girl.

For men, the disease does not produce symptoms most of the time. Thus, it can go on unnoticed. However, this is not a good thing since this could lead to a recurring infection unless treated.

Trichomonas Vaginalis is a parasite, not a microbe or a virus, thus it is not capable of living long outside its natural environment. It could only exist outside the body for an hour or two. In fact, there is a remote possibility of contracting the disease from public bathrooms at hostels as most people are already conscious of this possibility.

The parasite prefers the vaginal environment because it is wet. Some women have between menstruations, abundant secretions and present greater risk for tricomonas infection. Besides, there are other microbes inside the vagina, which usually live there.

In addition, during sexual intercourse, minor traumas may happen, causing small lesions, which are otherwise not noticeable. In men, although the urethra does not present an ideal environment for growth for the parasite, it can still live there.

The above discussions have given you a clearer picture of the disease and how the effects and symptoms vary between men and women. Young women can get the infection especially at the start of their sex activity. Signs of infection will be a lot of secretion coloured gray or greenish with a very foul odour. The infected person will also experience burning, smarting pain, itching and appearance of red areas between the legs. There will be pain during sexual intercourse to the point that you will not want to do it anymore. On top of all these conditions, another disease called inguinal adenopathy might develop.

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