Trichomonas vaginalis

Abbreviation: Tvag
Size of trophozoite: 4 - 32 microns
A pathogen of the male and female urogenital system
It may be found in stool as a contaminant from the vagina and therefore should be differentiated from T. hominis.
T. vaginalis is a pyriform shaped organism with a single anterior nucleus and an undulating membrane extending half way down the length of the body.
In a urogenital specimen it is necessary to find a living motile T. vaginalis trophozoite to report the organism. In a stool specimen finding T. vaginalis in an iron haematoxylin stained preparation is sufficient to report the organism.

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