Which STI screens include trichomoniasis?
Whether trichomoniasis is included depends entirely on which package or panel you book, not on the word "standard". Our Bronze package (chlamydia, gonorrhoea, HIV, syphilis) and Silver package (which adds Mycoplasma genitalium, Ureaplasma, Gardnerella and Herpes I & II) do not test for trichomoniasis. It is added at Gold level, alongside Hepatitis B and Hepatitis C, and carried through to Platinum, which also adds HPV. You can compare every tier on our STI screening packages page.
Why isn't trichomoniasis in the basic screens?
The Bronze, Silver and FAST packages are built around the infections that are most frequently screened for, and each additional test adds cost and, in some cases, a different sample. Trichomoniasis is common and easily missed on a basic panel, which is exactly why it is worth checking what your own screen covered rather than assuming it was included. If you have already had a Bronze, Silver or FAST screen and now have symptoms, or your partner has been diagnosed, the standalone trichomoniasis test fills that gap without repeating tests you have already had.
What if I'm a man with urethritis symptoms?
Men with urethritis symptoms, such as discharge or pain passing urine, may be offered our NGU & NSU test, a urine panel that checks for chlamydia, Mycoplasma genitalium, Ureaplasma and trichomonas from one sample. This is different from the four-infection Bronze package, so it is worth confirming which panel you are booking if trichomoniasis is a concern.
Should women book the Gold package or the standalone test?
It depends on whether you want trichomoniasis checked on its own or alongside a fuller screen. If you only want trichomoniasis ruled in or out, the standalone test at £121 is the quicker route. If you have not had a recent broader screen, or want everything in one visit, our screening packages for women at Gold level cover trichomoniasis together with chlamydia, gonorrhoea, HIV, syphilis, Mycoplasma genitalium, Ureaplasma, Gardnerella, herpes, and hepatitis B and C.
What happens if trichomoniasis is missed?
Trichomoniasis is easily cured with antibiotics, and a missed infection rarely causes serious harm, but it can persist and continue to be passed between partners until it is tested for specifically. In pregnancy, untreated trichomoniasis is linked with an early birth or a low birth weight, so tell your clinician if you are pregnant. Up to half of infections cause no symptoms, so a negative result on a panel that never included trichomoniasis is not reassurance that you don't have it.
How testing works at our Harley Street clinic
The trichomoniasis test is a swab or urine sample, with results in 3 days. If you are unsure which of your previous tests covered trichomoniasis, our clinicians can check what a package included and advise whether it is worth adding. Our full conditions page on trichomoniasis explains symptoms and treatment in more detail. You can walk in seven days a week at 117A Harley Street, and results are given confidentially. Our guide to private STI testing in London explains how a confidential visit works.
Book a trichomoniasis test at 117a Harley Street: £121, results in 3 days, or choose the Gold package for wider cover.
References
- Trichomoniasis, NHS
- Management of Trichomonas vaginalis, BASHH
- Sexually transmitted infections, NICE Clinical Knowledge Summaries
