Comparison between modern rapid immunochromatographic strips and traditional methods for detecting Candida albicans, Trichomonas vaginalis, and Neisseria gonorrhea in Kerbala and Babylon cities

About thirty various viruses, bacteria, and parasites are the causes of sexually transmitted diseases (STDs). These diseases are spread predominantly by sexual contact, including vaginal, anal, and oral sex. This study aims to evaluate the efficiency of modern immunochromatographic strips in diagnosing Candida albicans, Trichomonas vaginalis, and Neisseria gonorrhea in Kerbala and Babylon cities and compare them with traditional diagnostic methods. The study started on 1 November 2022 and ended on 30 June 2023. This is a cross-sectional study constituted 300 patients (150 male and 150 female) seeking treatment for abnormal vaginal discharge, itching, dysuria, dyspareunia, urethritis, and prostatitis at private clinics in Kerbala and Babylon cities. The entire patient database was enclosed in a single questionnaire. Immunochromatography strips were used to detect Candida, Trichomonas, and Neisseria. The investigations achieved 144 positive cases of STDs distributed as 81, 43, and 20 positive samples for Candida albicans, Trichomonas vaginalis, and Neisseria gonorrhea respectively. Whilst, the remaining 156 negative samples may be referred to other causative agents. The highest infection among marital state was in married persons than unmarried. The study approved significantly increased STDs in patients who lived in urban areas than in rural areas. In conclusion, this study revealed that the new immunochromatography strip test was rapid and more sensitive and specific in diagnosis of T. vaginalis, N. gonorrhea, and C. albicans than routine conventional diagnostic tests.