
Trichomonas vaginails saline smear is useful to identify the causative agent of venereal disease, trichomoniasis. Trichomoniasis is a sexually transmitted infection. A protozoan parasite, Trichomonas vaginalis is a causative agent of this infection that is very common. and easily treatable. T. vaginalis travels from person to person through genital contact during sex. In women, the organism causes an infection in the vagina, urethra, or both. In men, the infection only happens in the urethra. Once the infection begins, it can easily be spread through unprotected genital contact whereas it is not transmitted through normal physical contact such as hugging, kissing, sharing dishes, or sitting on a toilet seat.
Wet preparations are made from vaginal swabs using normal saline since It utilizes a physiological saline solution (0.85% NaCl ) as an isotonic media to maintain the cellular structure of the organisms as well as our cells that are found in specimen. It is then observed under the microscope before the specimen has a chance to dry out.
The gynecologist/ physician is responsible for the collection of the specimen. Swabs are made from the vaginal canal and placed in normal saline. It is better if the saline is at room temperature or body temperature. The swab is removed from the saline and to a slide. A coverslip is placed over the liquid and the specimen and the specimen is examined under the microscope. The presence of this flagellated organism is discharged from the vagina in females and the urethra of males is Diagnostic for this species since no other flagellates occur in the genito- urinary tract of man. The cytoplasm is uniformly and food inclusions are lacking Motion is zigzag and directional.
Presence of active trophozoite/s: Motile retractile bodies
inactive trophozite/s: Retractile bodies and finally focus at high dry power field
Report as ” no trichomonas vaginalis ”’ or as ”T” vaginalis present.