Clinical and laboratory evidence of Trichomonas vaginalis infection among women of reproductive age in rural area of Malwa region of Punjab

females annually.[3] In India, its reported prevalence among symptomatic patients varies between 4.28% and 12.06% [1][2][3][4][5] The observed prevalence in the present study (6.1%) in more than that reported by Kaur et al., from Chandigarh, but less than that of investigators from other parts of India.[1,2,5] This variation could be because of difference in patient population studied, difference in their sociodemographic profi les and the techniques employed for the diagnosis of the infection.Despite the availability of various other techniques (papanicolaou and acridine orange staining, culture and molecular methods), direct mount microscopy still remains the sole screening method of this infection because of its reliability, economy and ease of use in the resource constrained clinical laboratory set up. [1,2,5] Statistically insignifi cant difference in its prevalence in the 3 years of the present study shows that inspite of the implementation of National Acquired Immuno Defi ciency Syndrome (AIDS) Control Program (NACP) III, Trichomoniasis is persisting at almost same rate in Malwa region of Punjab.Recent studies have demonstrated that Trichomoniasis not only causes vaginitis, it also increases the risk of Human Immunodefi ciency Virus (HIV) transmission and is associated with adverse pregnancy outcome.[2,5] This underscores the need of aggressive implementation of public health programme for the accurate diagnosis of Trichomonas vaginalis infection based on laboratory evidence and treatment of this easily treatable sexually transmitted disease.