How does trichomoniasis start

Although symptoms of the disease vary, most people who have the parasite cannot tell they are infected. Trichomoniasis is the most common curable STD. In the United States, CDC estimates that there were more than two million trichomoniasis infections in Infection is more common in women than in men. Older women are more likely than younger women to have been infected with trichomoniasis.

The parasite passes from an infected person to an uninfected person during sex. In women, the most commonly infected part of the body is the lower genital tract vulva, vagina, cervix, or urethra.

In men, the most commonly infected body part is the inside of the penis urethra. During sex, the parasite usually spreads from a penis to a vagina, or from a vagina to a penis. It can also spread from a vagina to another vagina. It is not common for the parasite to infect other body parts, like the hands, mouth, or anus. It is unclear why some people with the infection get symptoms while others do not.

Infected people without symptoms can still pass the infection on to others. When trichomoniasis does cause symptoms, they can range from mild irritation to severe inflammation.

Some people with symptoms get them within 5 to 28 days after being infected. Others do not develop symptoms until much later. About 3. Trichomoniasis is spread through sexual contact. So, how can you get trichomoniasis is no one cheats in a relationship?

In very rare cases, it can spread through sharing personal items, such as towels. Trichomoniasis is caused by a parasite called Trichomonas vaginalis that can live in semen or vaginal fluids. It spreads during unprotected anal, oral, or vaginal sex, usually between a man and a woman or between two women. In can also be spread by sharing sex toys. People can also carry the parasite for many months without knowing it.

This means that your partner may have gotten it from a past relationship and only just started showing symptoms. It also means that you might have developed an infection in a past relationship and unknowingly passed it to your current partner. Keep in mind that there are very few reported cases of trichomoniasis being spread through these means, but it is possible.

See your doctor if you have a foul-smelling vaginal discharge or if you have pain with urination or sexual intercourse. Trichomoniasis is caused by a one-celled protozoan, a type of tiny parasite that travels between people during sexual intercourse. The incubation period between exposure and infection is unknown, but it's thought to range from four to 28 days. As with other sexually transmitted infections, the only way to prevent trichomoniasis is to abstain from sex.

To lower your risk, use condoms correctly every time you have sex. Mayo Clinic does not endorse companies or products. Advertising revenue supports our not-for-profit mission. This content does not have an English version. The parasite is usually spread by having sex without using a condom.

It could also be spread by sharing sex toys if you do not wash them or cover them with a new condom before use. You do not have to have many sexual partners to catch trichomoniasis.

Anyone who's sexually active can catch it and pass it on. The best way to prevent trichomoniasis is to have safer sex. This means always using a condom when having sex, covering any sex toys you use with a condom, and washing sex toys after use.