Background: Trichomoniasis is considered one of the most common non-viral sexually transmitted diseases globally. Early diagnosis of Trichomonas vaginalis (T. vaginalis) infection plays an important role in effective treatment, infection control, and interruption of the transmission chain. The present narrative review was conducted to gather updated data and evaluate the challenges associated with available laboratory methods for the diagnosis of T. vaginalis.
Methods: A broad review of the published literature and electronic international databases, including ISI Web of Science, PubMed, Scopus, Science Direct, and Google Scholar, was conducted to identify relevant data on existing and newly developed diagnostic methods for trichomoniasis in both sexes. The search covered studies published from 2000 up to 2025. The benefits and limitations of these methods were compared.
Results: This review demonstrated that wet mount preparation and examination under a light microscope, accompanied by staining methods, are the most frequently used approaches worldwide. However, the sensitivity of this method is low. Direct microscopic examination accompanied by culture or staining provides a diagnostic strategy with good performance. Moreover, molecular- and immunological-based methods are recommended as complementary tests.
Conclusion: Direct microscopic examination is an economical and rapid method. Fully automated PCR systems for the simultaneous identification of the most common vaginal pathogens can be established as a diagnostic strategy in non-endemic areas and developed countries.
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