A patient came to the gynecology OPD with complaints of foul-smelling frothy vaginal discharge and intense itching. On examination, she had strawberry cervix. Which of the following statements is false regarding the causative organism?
High-Yield Explanation
The given clinical picture is suggestive of Trichomonas vaginalis infection. Trichomonas vaginalis is the only protozoa with one stage in its life cycle ie., trophozoite form (No cyst stage is seen). Other options: It is an obligate parasite and cannot live without close association with vaginal, urethral or prostatic tissues. The gold standard for diagnosis is culture on CPLM (Cysteine-peptoneliver-maltose) or PEM (Plastic envelope medium). The treatment of choice is metronidazole. Reference: Paniker&;s Textbook of Medical Parasitology 8th edition