Opportunistic Human Infections Caused by Tritrichomonas species: A Mini-Review

The main purpose of this mini-review is to provide information on opportunistic human infections caused by Tritrichomonas spp. Rare cases of human trichomoniasis, including fatal meningoencephalitis and peritonitis, have been reported exclusively in immunosuppressed or immunocompromised individuals, suggesting the protozoa are human opportunistic pathogens. These infections are readily diagnosed by the characteristic morphology of the protozoa. Species identification is augmented by testing with molecular methods, such as PCR and DNA sequencing. Risk factors for infection and treatment are also discussed.