PREVALENCE OF TRICHOMONAS VAGINALIS AMONG PREGNANT WOMEN FROM SELECTED HOSPITALS IN ILORIN METROPOLIS

The o ccurrence of Trichomonas vaginalis in five randomly selected public and p r ivate hospitals in Ilorin metropolis using Microscopy and Culture was evaluated. The total number of 250 High vaginal swab and urine were collected from pregnant women. Wet preparati on method was carried on slide for the High vaginal swab and swabs negative for Trichomonas vaginalis were subjected to culture method. Also Urine was centrifuged slowly and the deposit was examined under the microscope. Out of the 250 subjects examined, 5 0 (20 %) of the women were found to be infected with Trichomonas vaginalis. Of the infected subjects, the highest prevalence of 24 % was detected in age group (21 - 30), followed by 22 % in age group 41 - 50 and least of 15 % in age group 31 40 but was not sta tistically significant (P > 0.05). Also in relation to occupation, the highest prevalence (56 %) was found among the students, followed by civil servants with prevalence of 48 % and the least prevalence of 6.4 % in others and it is statistically significan t (P < 0.05). Furthermore in relation to the residential area, Ilorin south had the highest prevalence of 39 % then Ilorin east and Ilorin west. The highest prevalence of the infection (47 %) was found in the first trimester of the pregnancy, 18 % in secon d trimester while the lowest 15 % in the third trimester and it was stati stically significant (P = 0.003). The study confirms Trichomonas vaginalis infection in Ilorin metropolis among pregnant women .