Hindawi Publishing Corporation ISRN Infectious Diseases Volume 2013, Article ID 485439, 5 pages http://dx.doi.org/10.5402/2013/485439 Clinical Study Trichomonas vaginalis Infection among Pregnant Women in Jimma University Specialized Hospital, Southwest Ethiopia Abdurehman Eshete, Zeleke Mekonnen, and Ahmed Zeynudin Department of Medical Laboratory Science and Pathology, Jimma University, P.O. Box 409, Jimma, Ethiopia Correspondence should be addressed to Abdurehman Eshete; abdurehman.eshete@ju.edu.et Received 15 January 2013; Accepted 2 February 2013 Academic Editors: D. Bachani, K. Couper, M. A. De Souza, and T. Matsumoto Copyright © 2013 Abdurehman Eshete et al. Tis is an open access article distributed under the Creative Commons Attribution License, which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original work is properly cited. Background. Trichomonas vaginalis is a sexually transmitted parasitic protozoan known to be responsible for an estimated 180 million new infections per year, making it the most prevalent nonviral sexually transmitted pathogen worldwide. Method. A cross- sectional study design was conducted on vaginal swabs by wet mount and Modifed Columbia Agar culture technique in Jimma University Specialized Hospital (JUSH), ANC clinic, Jimma, Ethiopia. Te study was done to assess the magnitude and associated risk factors of T. vaginalis infection from December to May, 2011/2012. Result. A total of 361 pregnant women were involved in this study. From these, 18 (4.98%) of the pregnant women were positive for T. vaginalis infection by Modifed Columbian Agar culture technique. Education status (AOR = 0.186, 95% CI: 0.059–0.585,  < 0.05), patients with dysuria (AOR = 0.180; 95% CI: 0.046– 0.704,  < 0.05) and dyspareunia (AOR = 0.152; 95% CI: 0.035–0.667,  < 0.05) were signifcantly associated with T. vaginalis infection. Conclusion. Te prevalence of T. vaginalis infection at 4.89% is relatively high among young reproductive aged women. Because this infection increases the risk of HIV transmission and is associated with adverse pregnancy outcomes, there is a need for increased provision of health information concerning T. vaginalis to the community, educating women, screening, and treatment of T. vaginalis infection in Ethiopia. 1. Introduction Trichomonas vaginalis is a fagellated protozoan possessing fve fagella, four of which are located at its anterior portion. Te ffh fagellum is incorporated within the undulating membrane of the parasite, which is supported by a slender noncontractile costa. Tis parasite varies in size and shape, with the average length and width being 13 and 10 m. Te life cycle of T. vaginalis is simple and involves only the direct transmission of viable trophozoite. Unlike many protozoan parasites, it possesses trophozoite form and lacks cyst stage. It has a cosmopolitan distribution and has been identifed in all racial group and socioeconomic strata; however, it has been encountered in every continent and climate, with no seasonal variability. T. vaginalis infections are commonly associated with other sexually transmitted diseases (STDs) [1, 2]. Trichomonas vaginalis, an anaerobic, parasitic, is the causative agent of trichomoniasis and is the most common pathogenic protozoan infection of humans in the industri- alized countries. Te fagellate was originally considered a commensal organism until the 1950s when the understanding of its role as a sexually transmitted infection (STI) began to evolve. Humans are the only known host with the trophozoite transmitted via fomites. Both males and females are infected but the majority of cases were reported among females who also present with symptomatic infection than males. In females, vaginitis is the most common manifestation of the infection. Complications include the infection of the adnexa, skin, endometrium, and Bartholin glands. Te pregnant women infected with this parasite may be at risk of an adverse birth out comes like postabortion or posthysterectomy infec- tion, as well as infertility and enhanced predisposition to neoplastic transformation in cervical tissues [3]. Trichomonas vaginalis is a sexually transmitted parasitic protozoan known to be responsible for an estimated 180 million new infections per year, making it the most prevalent