Trichomonas vaginalis: prevalence in an urban indigenous population and validation of new assays

Funded Activity Summary

The infection called trichomonas is the commonest sexually transmitted infection (STI) world-wide. It is caused by a parasite and is particularly common amongst disadvantaged, poor communities. It is important to diagnose and treat (readily available treatments exist) this infection because it is linked with early birth in pregnant women and increases the spread of HIV-AIDS virus. The diagnosis has not changed for decades until recently, when a new more sensitive test became available.Wehave adapted it to work on self-collected specimens such as in-out tampons or urines. Proof that this new diagnostic tool is better, is needed in Australia in high-risk groups such as Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities where other STIs have already been shown to be at high rates. How this parasite causes disease in humans is poorly studied. We plan to test this new diagnostic method and compare it to traditional tests in a high-risk population and to ultimately study how the parasite causes disease.

Funded Activity Details

Start Date: 01-01-2002

End Date: 01-01-2003

Funding Scheme: NHMRC Project Grants

Funding Amount: $88,880.00

Funder: National Health and Medical Research Council

Research Topics

ANZSRC Field of Research (FoR)

Indigenous Health

ANZSRC Socio-Economic Objective (SEO)

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Other Keywords

Australian Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander women | Indigenous health | Molecular diagnostic applications | New diagnostics - polymerase chain reaction | Pathogenicity (virulence) | Prevalence | Trichomonas (Trichomonas vaginalis) | Women's health

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