Relationship between monocyte chemoattractant protein-1 (MCP-1) and pathogenicity of Trichomonas vaginalis

The most common non-viral, global curable sexually transmitted diseases, that annually affects millions of people is trichomoniasis, which is caused by the parasiteTrichomonas vaginalis.It was found that several immunologic and biochemical factors play a role in the pathogenesis of Trichomonas vaginalis. In this study, we aimed to investigate the relationship betweentheMonocyte chemoattractant protein-1 (MCP-1) and the pathogenicity of Trichomonas vaginalis.In this study, vaginal swabs, urine and blood samples were taken from (350) women, whose ages ranged between (15-65) yearsand were attending the women’s obstetrics and gynecology hospital in Karbala province during the period from November 2021 to June 2022. The general urine examination and direct microscopic examination of the vaginal swabs were used to detect the parasite, while the serum (MCP-1) level was estimated by ELISA technique. A questionnaire form was used to collect information from the participant women including age, residency, marital status, educational level, fertility and using contraceptives.The results showed that only (100) out of the (350) cases were positive for Trichomonas vaginalis, and the highest incidence of positive cases was within the age group (15-24) years and the lowest incidence was within the age group (55-65) years. According to educational levels, our results revealed that the number and percentage of illiterate women was 18 (28.57%), and for primary school level was 22 (29.33%), while for secondary school level was 42 (28.18), whereas for women with bachelor level was 18 (28.57%), with no significant difference between them (P=0.998).The mean and standard deviation of serum(MCP-1) was (15.83±3.1) in the healthy non-infected women, while the mean and standard deviation of serum (MCP-1) was (35.65±41.3) in the patient infected women, with a highly significant difference (P<0.001).It can be concluded from the current study that the levels of serum MCP-1were highly increased in women infected with Trichomonas vaginalis.