Molecular Characterization of Trichomonas vaginalis in Reproductive-Age Women in Erbil City

Background: Trichomonas vaginalis is the etiological agent of trichomoniasis, one of the most prevalent non-viral sexually transmitted diseases globally, particularly among immunocompromised women, such as those who are pregnant. Objectives: This study aims to molecularly characterise, perform phylogenetic analysis, and investigate some sociodemographic factors associated with trichomoniasis in women at reproductive age. Materials and methods: Included 800 vaginal swabs and urine samples were collected from women who attended Maternity Hospital, different centers and private clinics in Erbil City. The patients were grouped according to their ages, residency and educational level factors. Samples were examined by microscopic examination and nucleic acid identification of the AP65-1 gene and the surface immunogen (p270) gene.Results: Among samples collected, 13 (1.63%) were positive for T. vaginalis infection following microscopic examination. The vaginal swab test showed that 10 individuals (1.25%) identified through posterior vaginal fornix secretion examination and 3 individuals (0.38%) identified through urine examination. The molecular analysis for the AP65-1 gene identified 11 positive cases, in comparison to the conventional approaches, while molecular screening for the surface immunogen (p270) gene showed a lower, only 4 positive cases, acquisition of the accession number from the gene bank (NCBI) for all samples in both genes separately. Conclusion: The examination of the data gathered during this survey shows a statistically significant correlation between trichomoniasis and education level. AP65-1 gene has a higher degree of sensitivity compared with conventional approaches, while the surface immunogen (p270) gene has less.