Trichomoniasis can be cured with a single dose of prescription antibiotic medication (either metronidazole or tinidazole), pills which can be taken by mouth.

Trichomoniasis (or “trich”) is a very common sexually transmitted disease (STD). It is caused by infection with a protozoan parasite called Trichomonas vaginalis. Although symptoms of the disease vary, most people who have the parasite cannot tell they are infected.

The very common unicellular parasite Trichomonas vaginalis attaches to host cells lining the human urogenital tract and destroys them.

If you do test positive for trichomoniasis, you might also be tested for chlamydia or gonorrhea. People with trichomoniasis often have these STIs, too. Having trichomoniasis can also increase your risk of developing another STI, including HIV, in the future, so it’s important to follow up with treatment.

You’re typically cured in about 7 to 10 days, but check with your doctor to know for sure. It’s not uncommon for people to get another trich infection a few months after treatment. So make sure you don’t have sex again until you and your sex partners are cured and your symptoms are gone.

Blood tests are currently used to diagnose HIV, genital herpes, and syphilis. STD testing may also involve urine testing or taking swabs of the inside of the mouth, anus, the affected area, or sores.

Trichomoniasis can be diagnosed by looking at a sample of vaginal fluid for women or urine for men under a microscope. If the parasite can be seen under the microscope, no further tests are needed.

This is because the bacteria needs enough time to multiply within your body in order for it to reach a detectable level when taking a chlamydia test. For chlamydia this is often 14 days. If you test before that 14 days is over, you may test negative, but you could still pass the bacteria on following your test.