Trichomonas  Vaginalis  Genotyping in Upper Egypt

Abstract Background: Egypt is a developing country with high population density and a high proportion of people with moderate or low socioeconomic levels. The threat of sexually transmitted diseases, such as trichomoniasis, forms an important public health concern. Trichomoniasis, especially in asymptomatic individuals, remains neglected and poorly addressed .Trichomonas Vaginalis, a parasitic protozoa that causes the sexually transmitted infection trichomoniasis, is the sexually transmitted infection with the largest annual incidence and considered as one of the neglected tropical parasitic infections. More understanding about genetic features of the parasite can be helpful in the study of the pathogenesis, drug susceptibility and epidemiology of the infection, we conducted analysis of the actin gene of T. vaginalis by applying the Restriction fragment length polymorphism (RFLP) and nucleotide sequencing method. Aim and objectives: To investigate the genetic variability of T.Vaginalis in infecting Egyptian women in Upper Egypt. Patient & methods: This cross-sectional research was conducted during the period from 2019 to 2022 on 150 female patients attending the outpatient clinics outpatient clinics of gynecology and obstetrics at Sohag General Hospital with complaints suggestive of trichomoniasis. Vaginal washout samples were collected, and subjected to direct wet mount microscopic examination, and culture on TYM Diamond's medium, then analysis of the actin gene of T. vaginalis by PCR-RFLP( PCR amplification, restriction enzyme digestion) and detection of DNA fragments by electrophoresis in 2.5–3% (w/v) agarose gels Results: By using direct wet-mount microscopic examination, out of 150 collected wash-out vaginal samples, 12 cases (8%) were positive for T. vaginalis trophozoites, and 16 samples (10.6%) were positive for culture , (13) samples applied to PCR-RFLP ,The restriction enzyme HindII digested the amplified products into three DNA fragments of 60, 213, and 827 bp. RsaI produced 5 DNA fragments of 87, 103\ 106, 236, & 568 bp, & MseI produced 3 different fragments of 204, 315, & 581 bp ,and detection of DNA fragments by electrophoresis in agarose gels . Conclusion: According to our study Genotype E of T. vaginilais is the most prevalent in upper Egypt.