[Indirect immunofluorescence in the serodiagnosis of Trichomonas vaginalis infections]

By using immunofluorescent technique the Authors have observed that high titer circulating antibodies reacting with membrane or cytoplasmic structures of T. vaginalis occur in the majority (42/45) of women presenting because of trichomonas vaginitis. Only exceptionally high titer antibodies have been detected in serum of male subjects affected by urethral trichomoniasis. Low titer antibodies are found in serum of noninfected subjects and are supposed to be induced by cross reacting flagellate group antigens. The contribution of these findings to a better understanding of the natural history of trichomoniasis is briefly discussed.