Routine Screening of Adolescents for Trichomonas vaginalis in a Juvenile Detention Center

Abstract

Background: Detained and incarcerated adolescents are at increased risk of sexually transmitted infections (STI), but limited information is currently available regarding the prevalence of Trichomonas vaginalis (TV) in detained youth.
Methods: A total of 144 detainees (75 males and 69 females) in the Franklin County Juvenile Detention Facility (FCJDF) in Columbus, Ohio, consented to STI screening between May 2016 and June 2017. Participants were screened for TV in addition to Neisseria gonorrhoeae (NG) and Chlamydia trachomatis (CT) using urine nucleic acid amplification tests (NAAT).
Results: Among detained youth who consented to testing, TV was identified in 7 of 69 (10.1%) females and 0 of 75 (0%) males (P <0.01). Neisseria gonorrhoeae was identified in 12 of 69 (17.4%) females and 3 of 75 (4.0%) males (P = 0.01), and CT was identified in 16 of 69 (23.2%) female and 7 of 75 (9.3%) male detainees (P = 0.04). Among females, positive TV screen was associated with prior history of STI.
Conclusion: Our data support routine screening of female detainees at FCJDF, based on our finding of 10% posi-tivity among females who underwent testing.