Trichomoniasis is the most common sexually transmitted disease worldwide, with 5 million new cases per year worldwide.

Young people, both men and women, are particularly affected. The infection is often asymptomatic. Usually men and half of the women do not experience any symptoms. If symptoms do occur, they manifest themselves as itching, with burning during urination and sweet-smelling, foul-smelling discharge. If left untreated, infection can lead to sterility in both women and men.¹ Metronidazole is considered the drug of choice for trichomoniasis. Partner therapy is strongly indicated even in the absence of symptoms.²

Vulvovaginal candidiasis: Vaginal yeast colonization depends on the glucose supply in the vagina, which varies cyclically under the influence of sex steroids. Therefore, vaginal colonization by yeasts is rare in girls in the hormonal resting phase and in longer postmenopausal women. The incidence is 10 to 20% in healthy nonpregnant premenopausal women, up to 30% in untreated pregnant women at term, 5 (to 10) % in healthy postmenopausal women, and at least 30% in all nonpregnant women with immune deficiencies. About 80% of detected yeast fungi are Candida albicans. Colonization usually occurs through the woman’s own orointestinal tract or that of her partner, who may also be colonized with the same yeast strain in semen. Acute vaginal candidiasis can be treated locally or systemically.³

¹ Federal Office of Public Health, Switzerland: http://www.bag.admin.ch/themen/medizin/00682/00684/11693/index.html (accessed: 6.11.2013).

² Austrian Society of Gynaecology and Obstetrics (OEGGG): http://www.oeggg.at/fileadmin/user_upload/downloads/Leitlinien/Leitlinien_ESIDOG_Auswahl.pdf (accessed: 6.11.2013).

³ AWMF guideline: https://www.awmf.org/uploads/tx_szleitlinien/015-072l_S2k_Vulvovaginalkandidose_2020-10_01.pdf (accessed: 6.11.2013).