Which test is used to diagnose trichomoniasis?

Which test is used to diagnose trichomoniasis?

• A. Saline wet smear test
• B. Whiff test
• C. Normal saline smear test
• D. Potassium hydroxide test

Answer: (A)

Diagnosing trichomoniasis is most reliably taught as direct visualization of the parasite in a vaginal discharge sample using a saline wet mount. In this test, the discharge is placed on a slide with saline and looked at under a microscope for motile, pear-shaped protozoa with flagella. This classic method can confirm infection when organisms are seen, though it isn’t perfectly sensitive, so a negative result doesn’t completely exclude infection and more sensitive tests like nucleic acid amplification tests are available if needed. The Whiff test involves adding potassium hydroxide to vaginal secretions to detect a fishy odor typical of bacterial vaginosis, not the presence of Trichomonas. The potassium hydroxide prep is more about fungal identification when looking for Candida or other organisms. A simple normal saline smear would amount to the same basic wet mount approach, but the standard, most recognized test described for direct visualization of Trichomonas is the saline wet mount.

Diagnosing trichomoniasis is most reliably taught as direct visualization of the parasite in a vaginal discharge sample using a saline wet mount. In this test, the discharge is placed on a slide with saline and looked at under a microscope for motile, pear-shaped protozoa with flagella. This classic method can confirm infection when organisms are seen, though it isn’t perfectly sensitive, so a negative result doesn’t completely exclude infection and more sensitive tests like nucleic acid amplification tests are available if needed. The Whiff test involves adding potassium hydroxide to vaginal secretions to detect a fishy odor typical of bacterial vaginosis, not the presence of Trichomonas. The potassium hydroxide prep is more about fungal identification when looking for Candida or other organisms. A simple normal saline smear would amount to the same basic wet mount approach, but the standard, most recognized test described for direct visualization of Trichomonas is the saline wet mount.