TV is an infection caused by a tiny parasite called Trichomonas vaginalis. It can infect the vagina and the urethra (tube you pee from).

Anyone who’s sexually active can get TV and pass it on through sexual contact.You don’t need to have lots of sexual partners.

TV is nearly always passed from one person to another through vaginal sex without a condom.

It can be spread through sharing sex toys if you don’t wash them or cover them with a new condom each time they’re used, but this is rare.

You can’t get TV from anal sex, oral sex (going down, giving head) or from kissing, hugging, sharing cups, plates or cutlery, toilet seats or towels.

Up to half of infected people won’t have any noticeable signs or symptoms.

If you get signs and symptoms, they usually show up within a month of contact with TV. You might notice:

• A change in vaginal discharge. There may be a small amount or a lot, and it may be thick or thin.
• Sometimes it can be frothy and yellow. You may notice a strong or unpleasant smell
• Soreness, itching or inflammation (pain, redness or swelling) in or around the vagina
• A discharge from the penis. This discharge may be thin and whitish
• Soreness, itching or inflammation in and around the entrance to the urethra (tube you pee from)
• Pain, discomfort or a burning sensation when peeing

You need a test to find out if you have TV. A test for TV is usually offered if:

• you have signs and/or symptoms of TV
• you have signs and symptoms which haven’t been caused by other infections.

You may be advised to have a test if:

• you’ve recently had sex without a condom with a new partner
• you or a partner have had sex without a condom with other partners
• during a vaginal examination, your doctor or nurse notices an unusual discharge, or the
  cervix (entrance to the uterus at the top of the vagina) is red and inflamed
• a sexual partner tells you they have an STI
• you have another STI

You could still have TV even if a partner has tested negative.

If you have TV, it’s advised to get tested for other STIs as you can have more than one STI at once.

You can get a test as soon as you think you might have been in contact with TV.

A doctor, nurse or healthcare professional at a GP surgery or sexual health service can tell you if a test is advised.

There are different ways of testing for TV.

• If you have a vagina, a doctor or nurse may take a swab from the vagina during an internal examination or you may be able to take your own swab
• If you have a penis, a doctor or nurse may use a swab to collect a sample from the entrance to the urethra (tube you pee from) at the tip of the penis
• You may be asked to give a urine sampleA swab looks like a cotton bud but is smaller and rounded. It sometimes has a small plastic loop on the end rather than a cotton tip. It’s wiped over the parts of the body that could be infected. This only takes a few seconds and isn’t painful, though it may be uncomfortable for a moment.

Sometimes your sample can be looked at under a microscope and you can get the result straight away but you may have to wait up to 10 days.

Routine blood tests don’t detect TV.

If you don’t know if you’ve been tested for TV, just ask.

The accuracy of a TV test depends on the type of test used. The recommended tests will detect around 9 out of 10 cases.

As no test is 100% accurate, there’s a small chance you’ll get a negative result when you do have TV. This is called a false negative result.

It’s possible for a TV test to be positive when you haven’t got TV but this is not common.

If a TV test is advised, it can be done at:

• a sexual health clinic or genitourinary medicine (GUM) clinic
• some GP surgeries

Free online STI testing services are available in many areas. They can test for some common STIs if you don’t have symptoms. In some areas, they may also offer tests if you have mild symptoms. Some of these services may advise and offer TV testing.

All check-ups, tests and treatment are free through NHS services.

• TV is treated with antibiotics. You’ll usually be given tablets to take for 7 days
• If you take the treatment as advised, it’s at least 90% effective at curing TV
• You’ll be advised not to drink alcohol during the treatment and for 48 hours afterwards. This is because the antibiotics used can react with alcohol and make you feel very unwell
• If there’s a high chance you have TV, treatment may be started before the results of the test are back. You’ll always be given treatment for TV if a sexual partner has TV
• Tell the doctor or nurse if you’re pregnant, think you might be, or are breastfeeding, as this can affect the treatment you’re offered – also see What if I get TV when I’m pregnant?
• Complementary therapies (treatments outside of mainstream healthcare) can’t cure TV

You should notice an improvement in the signs and symptoms within a few days.

If you develop tenderness in your lower tummy, see your doctor or nurse as there may be other possible causes of the pain.

If you take the treatment according to instructions, you won’t normally need a follow-up test. Go back to the sexual health service or GP surgery if:

• you think you may have been in contact with TV again
• you had sex without a condom with a partner before treatment was finished – also see How soon can I have sex again?
• you didn’t complete the treatment or didn’t take it according to the instructions
• you vomited after taking the tablets
• the signs and symptoms don’t go away – also see When will the signs and symptoms go away?
• your test was negative but you develop signs or symptoms

In these situations, you may need a repeat test. This can be done 1 week after the first test.

You may need more antibiotics, a different treatment, or tests for other infections.

Even if you’ve been treated for TV, it’s possible to get it again in the future.

You can always go back to the sexual health service or GP surgery if you’ve got any questions or need advice about helping protect yourself from STIs.

TV won’t usually cause serious complications.

TV can go away without treatment for some people but this can take a long time. If you delay seeking treatment you risk passing the infection on to someone else.

TV may cause problems with a pregnancy – also see What if I get TV when I’m pregnant?

If you have TV, you may have a higher chance of getting HIV if you have sex with someone who’s HIV positive and not on effective treatment. Effective HIV treatment reduces the amount of HIV virus in the blood to such low levels that it can’t be detected by an HIV test and the virus can’t be passed on to sexual partners. This is known as U=U (Undetectable = Untransmittable).

Don’t have sex with anyone, including vaginal, anal or oral sex, until 7 days after you and your sexual partner(s) have finished the treatment. This helps stop you being reinfected or passing TV on to someone else.

A test can’t tell you how long you’ve had TV.

If you feel upset or angry about having TV and find it difficult to talk to a partner or friends, don’t be afraid to discuss how you feel with the staff at the sexual health service or GP surgery.

If you have TV, it’s very important that your current sexual partner(s) and any other recent partners are treated.

TV may cause problems with a pregnancy. Some research suggests it could lead to a premature (early) birth or a baby with a low birth weight.

If you’re pregnant, tell the doctor or nurse so they can discuss your treatment choices with you.

It’s possible to transmit TV to the baby during the birth although this is rare.

You can be treated safely for TV during pregnancy or if you’re breastfeeding. The treatment may affect the taste of breast milk so you may be advised to express and discard your milk until you’ve finished the treatment.

No. TV doesn’t cause cervical cancer.

No. TV will not affect your fertility or chance of getting pregnant.

The following will help protect you from getting and passing on most sexually transmitted infections (STIs):