The treatment of Trichomonal Vaginitis using Single Dose Tinidazole (Fasigyn-Pfizer)

Abstract

Trichomonas Vaginalis, a genito-urinary parasite which is known to be sexually transmitted is now a common gynaecological problem in most clinics. The prevalence rate of this parasite varies in various parts of the world. The long and tedious course of the drug metronidazole (200 mgs t.i.d orally for a week) proved in our experience to be unsatisfactory as many patients do not complete the full course of treatment. Workers from various centres have reported on their experiences on the use of a single dose of 2.0 Grammes tinidazole (Fasigyn) in the treatment of Trichomoniasis with very encouraging resuIts; (Aimakhu,1973; Rosemann and Vaughan,1973; Mati and Wallace,1974; 1974; Ongom et al.,1974). This paper reports the results of a trial which was carried out at the gynaecological clinic of the University Teaching Hospital, Lusaka, using tinidazole in one group of patients and yeast as placebo in the other. During the trial, coitus was not prohibited. A total of twenty eight patients living in and around the City of Lusaka, Zambia were subjected to a drug trial to determine the effect of a single oral dose of Tinidazole (Fasigyn" Pfizer) in the treatment of Trichomonal Vaginitis. All the twenty eight patients were proven cases of Trichomonal Vaginitis from microscopy of cervical smears. Two grammes of Fasigyn were used as a single oral dose with yeast as Placebo. Twenty patients were originally treated with Fasigyn and eight received yeast. However two patients in the Fasigyn group absconded, but one later reported satisfactory results. The husbands of two others were untreated. Four patients had other vaginal infections. A microscopic cure rate of 100% and a corrected clinical cure rate of 93.3% was obtained using fasigyn. The side effects were minimal and the patients themselves regarded them as mild.