THE RELATIONSHIP OF VAGINAL TRICHOMONIASIS AND PELVIC INFLAMMATORY DISEASE AMONG WOMEN COLONIZED WITH CHLAMYDIA-TRACHOMATIS

Background: Trichomonas vaginalis is a common sexually transmitted pat hogen that has been linked to upper genital tract bacterial disease, I ts association with upper tract chlamydial disease has not been assess ed. Goal of this Study: This study was undertaken to determine whether a-omen colonized with Chlamydia trachomatis who are also infected wit h Trichomonas vaginalis are at increased risk for having pelvic inflam matory disease. Study Design: A nested case control methodology was us ed to compare Trichomonas vaginalis rates between women colonized with Chlamydia trachomatis who had pelvic inflammatory disease (n = 24) an d those who were colonized but did not have pelvic inflammatory diseas e (n = 47). Factors that might be related to the development of upper tract disease (e.g., douching, other sexually transmitted diseases) an d factors linked to colonization with Trichomonas vaginalis (e.g. race , use of oral contraceptives) were assessed. Results: When exact logis tic regression models were used and variables associated with pelvic i nflammatory disease were considered, it was found that age (odds ratio = 0.73; P =.001) and Trichomonas vaginalis colonization (odds ratio = 4.72; P =.053) were significant. Conclusions: In this preliminary stu dy of women colonized with Chlamydia trachomatis, an association was f ound between co-infection with Trichomonas vaginalis and evidence of u pper tract disease.