Signs and symptoms
Most people infected with Trichomonas vaginalis do not have any symptoms and can be undetected for years. Symptoms experienced include pain, burning or itching in the penis, urethra (urethritis), or vagina (vaginitis). Discomfort for both sexes may increase during intercourse and urination. For women there may also be a yellow-green, itchy, frothy, foul-smelling ("fishy" smell) vaginal discharge. In rare cases, lower abdominal pain can occur. Symptoms usually appear within 5 to 28 days of exposure. Sometimes trichomoniasis can be confused with chlamydia because the symptoms are similar. Complications
Trichomoniasis is linked to several serious complications. Trichomoniasis is associated with increased risk of transmission and infection of HIV. Trichomoniasis may cause a woman to deliver a low-birth-weight or premature infant. The role of Trichomonas infection in causing cervical cancer is unclear, although trichomonas infection may be associated with co-infection with high-risk strains of HPV. T. vaginalis infection in males has been found to cause asymptomatic urethritis and prostatitis. In the prostate, it may create chronic inflammation that may eventually lead to prostate cancer. Causes
The human genital tract is the only reservoir for this species. Trichomonas is transmitted through sexual or genital contact.The single-celled protozoan produces mechanical stress on host cells and then ingests cell fragments after cell death. Genetic sequence
A draft sequence of the Trichomonas genome was published on January 12, 2007, in the journal Science confirming that the genome has at least 26,000 genes, a similar number to the human genome.
Methylscopolamine or methscopolamine, usually provided as the bromide or nitrate salt, is an oral medication used along with other medications to treat peptic ulcers by reducing stomach acid secretion. Proton pump inhibitors and antihistamine medications have made this use obsolete. It can also be used for stomach or intestinal spasms, to reduce salivation, and to treat motion sickness. Methscopolamine is also commonly used as a drying agent, to dry up post-nasal drip, in cold, irritable bowel syndrome and allergy medicationsMethscopolamine, a methylated derivative of scopolamine, is a muscarinic antagonist structurally similar to the neurotransmitter acetylcholine. Its mechanism of action involves blocking the muscarinic acetylcholine receptors. It was patented in 1902 and approved for medical use in 1947. Methscopolamine is an FDA-approved analog to hyoscine butylbromide. Brand names
Brand names include Extendryl, AlleRx, Rescon, Pamine. == References ==