Skip to main page content
U.S. flag

An official website of the United States government

Dot gov

The .gov means it’s official.
Federal government websites often end in .gov or .mil. Before sharing sensitive information, make sure you’re on a federal government site.

Https

The site is secure.
The https:// ensures that you are connecting to the official website and that any information you provide is encrypted and transmitted securely.

Access keys NCBI Homepage MyNCBI Homepage Main Content Main Navigation
Comment
. 2025 Jun 25;13(7):1475.
doi: 10.3390/microorganisms13071475.

Transmission Dynamics of Trichomonas tenax: Host and Site Specificity, Zoonotic Potential, and Environmental Factors

Maurice Matthew  1 , Jennifer Ketzis  1 , Samson Mukaratirwa  1 , Chaoqun Yao  1
Affiliations
Comment

Transmission Dynamics of Trichomonas tenax: Host and Site Specificity, Zoonotic Potential, and Environmental Factors

Maurice Matthew et al. Microorganisms. .

Abstract

Trichomonas tenax is an anaerobic flagellate usually found in the oral cavity of humans and domestic animals. It is very likely to be transmitted through kissing, sharing saliva, contaminated utensils, and water. However, research on its transmission dynamics is scarce. Hence, there is a need to identify potential knowledge gaps in T. tenax transmission for future research and emphasize the importance of the One Health approach in controlling the spread of this flagellar protozoan. Trichomonas tenax has been found in humans, dogs, cats, horses, and birds at various body sites, including the lungs and the urogenital tract, in addition to the oral cavity. Its transmission is influenced by environmental factors such as temperature and socioeconomic factors such as age, income, smoking, and public awareness, along with poor oral hygiene and systemic diseases. Direct host-to-host transmission also plays an important role; however, transmission through fomites or contaminated water still needs to be scientifically proven to gain a better understanding of these mechanisms. More studies on this flagellate are warranted, especially using animal models and epidemiological studies, to better understand its transmission dynamics. Prioritizing research in these areas could result in a more comprehensive understanding of T. tenax transmission dynamics and the factors that influence it, ultimately aiding in the development of effective control and prevention strategies. It is also recommended to encourage collaboration between medical and veterinary professionals in addressing this zoonotic protozoan, recognizing that it aligns with the One Health approach.

Keywords: Trichomonas tenax; environmental factors; host; transmission; zoonosis.

PubMed Disclaimer

Conflict of interest statement

The authors declare no conflict of interest.

Figures

Figure 1
Figure 1
Schematic diagram showing the proven and hypothetical routes of T. tenax transmission. Created with https://BioRender.com.
Figure 2
Figure 2
Color-coded world map highlighting regions where highest T. tenax prevalence in humans has been reported.
See this image and copyright information in PMC

Similar articles

  • [Volume and health outcomes: evidence from systematic reviews and from evaluation of Italian hospital data].
    Amato L, Colais P, Davoli M, Ferroni E, Fusco D, Minozzi S, Moirano F, Sciattella P, Vecchi S, Ventura M, Perucci CA. Amato L, et al. Epidemiol Prev. 2013 Mar-Jun;37(2-3 Suppl 2):1-100. Epidemiol Prev. 2013. PMID: 23851286 Italian.
  • The Black Book of Psychotropic Dosing and Monitoring.
    DeBattista C, Schatzberg AF. DeBattista C, et al. Psychopharmacol Bull. 2024 Jul 8;54(3):8-59. Psychopharmacol Bull. 2024. PMID: 38993656 Free PMC article. Review.
  • Interventions targeted at women to encourage the uptake of cervical screening.
    Staley H, Shiraz A, Shreeve N, Bryant A, Martin-Hirsch PP, Gajjar K. Staley H, et al. Cochrane Database Syst Rev. 2021 Sep 6;9(9):CD002834. doi: 10.1002/14651858.CD002834.pub3. Cochrane Database Syst Rev. 2021. PMID: 34694000 Free PMC article.
  • Short-Term Memory Impairment.
    Cascella M, Al Khalili Y. Cascella M, et al. 2024 Jun 8. In: StatPearls [Internet]. Treasure Island (FL): StatPearls Publishing; 2025 Jan–. 2024 Jun 8. In: StatPearls [Internet]. Treasure Island (FL): StatPearls Publishing; 2025 Jan–. PMID: 31424720 Free Books & Documents.
  • Airborne Precautions.
    Ather B, Mirza TM, Edemekong PF. Ather B, et al. 2023 Mar 13. In: StatPearls [Internet]. Treasure Island (FL): StatPearls Publishing; 2025 Jan–. 2023 Mar 13. In: StatPearls [Internet]. Treasure Island (FL): StatPearls Publishing; 2025 Jan–. PMID: 30285363 Free Books & Documents.
See all similar articles

References

    1. Dybicz M., Perkowski K., Baltaza W., Padzik M., Sędzikowska A., Chomicz L. Molecular identification of Trichomonas tenax in the oral environment of domesticated animals in Poland–Potential effects of host diversity for human health. Ann. Agric. Environ. Med. 2018;25:464–468. doi: 10.26444/aaem/92309. - DOI - PubMed
    1. Bracamonte-Wolf C., Orrego P.R., Muñoz C., Herrera D., Bravo J., Gonzalez J., Varela H., Catalán A., Araya J.E. Observational cross-sectional study of Trichomonas tenax in patients with periodontal disease attending a Chilean University Dental Clinic. BMC Oral Health. 2019;19:207. doi: 10.1186/s12903-019-0885-3. - DOI - PMC - PubMed
    1. Honigberg B.M., Lee J.J. Structure and division of Trichomonas tenax (O. F. Müller) Am. J. Epidemiol. 1959;69:177–201. doi: 10.1093/oxfordjournals.aje.a119994. - DOI - PubMed
    1. Nagao E., Yamamoto A., Igarashi T., Goto N., Sasa R. Two distinct hemolysins in Trichomonas tenax ATCC 30207. Oral Microbiol. Immunol. 2000;15:355–359. doi: 10.1034/j.1399-302x.2000.150603.x. - DOI - PubMed
    1. Matthew M.A., Yang N., Ketzis J., Mukaratirwa S., Yao C. Trichomonas tenax: A neglected protozoan infection in the oral cavities of humans and dogs—A scoping review. Trop. Med. Infect. Dis. 2023;8:60. doi: 10.3390/tropicalmed8010060. - DOI - PMC - PubMed

LinkOut - more resources