Page 30 - Medical Parasitology_ A Textbook ( PDFDrive )

22 4 Intestinal and Genital Flagellates

Prevention and Control

1. Proper faecal disposal
2. Personal hygiene
3. Boiling of drinking water
4. Filtration of drinking water
5. Wash fruits and vegetables with clean water before eating
6. Health education

Trichomonas vaginalis

Distribution

It is distributed worldwide.

Habitat

In human, it lives mainly in the vagina and cervix of females. In males, it occurs
mainly in the anterior urethra.

Morphology

It only exists in the trophozoite stage (Fig. 4.3). Trophozoite is pear shaped or ovoid
and measures 10–30 μm in length and 5–10 μm in breadth with a short undulating
membrane reaching up to the middle of the body. It has 4 anterior flagella and a fifth
running along the outer margin of the undulating membrane. A prominent axostyle
runs throughout the length of the body and projects posteriorly.

Fig. 4.3 Trichomonas vaginalis trophozoites