In vivo and in vitro studies of tinidazole in Trichomonas vaginalis infection

Abstract

A total of 787 patients with complaints of vaginal discharges were examined, of which 106 patients were found to be positive for Trichomonas vaginalis by the normal saline method, and 114 patients were positive by the culture method. In the in vivo series, 55 patients were treated with a single dose of 1.8 gm of tinidazole, and with a follow-up examination 7 days thereafter. For the in vitro study 55 swab specimens were cultured to study the tinidazole sensitivity of Trichomonas vaginalis. The survival of Trichomonas vaginalis at each concentration of tinidazole was presented as a cumulative frequency. At the concentration of 1 μg/ml, none of the organisms were killed; but at the concentration of 6 μg/ml, the mortality rate was 100%. In the in vivo series a 100% cure rate was obtained with tinidazole with no side effects, and in vitro series the mean minimum trichomonicidal concentration (MCC) at 24 hours was 3.76 ± 1.25 μg/ml, with the range of 2-6 μg/ml. These studies revealed the sensitivity of Trichomonas vaginalis to tinidazole in Thailand and that tinidazole at a single oral dose of 1.8 gm preferably after a meal is effective, safe and cheap for the treatment of Trichomonas vaginalis.