Epidemiology of Trichomonas vaginalis infection in the Middle East and North Africa: systematic review, meta-analyses, and meta-regressionsResearch in context
Manale Harfouche,
Wafaa Sekkal Gherbi,
Asalah Alareeki,
Ahmed S. Alaama,
Joumana G. Hermez,
Alex Smolak,
Laith J. Abu-Raddad
Affiliations
Manale Harfouche
Infectious Disease Epidemiology Group, Weill Cornell Medicine-Qatar, Cornell University, Qatar Foundation-Education City, Doha, Qatar; World Health Organization Collaborating Centre for Disease Epidemiology Analytics on HIV/AIDS, Sexually Transmitted Infections, and Viral Hepatitis, Weill Cornell Medicine-Qatar, Cornell University, Qatar Foundation-Education City, Doha, Qatar; Corresponding author. Infectious Disease Epidemiology Group, World Health Organization Collaborating Centre for Disease Epidemiology Analytics on HIV/AIDS, Sexually Transmitted Infections, and Viral Hepatitis, Weill Cornell Medicine-Qatar, Qatar Foundation - Education City, P.O. Box 24144, Doha, Qatar.
Wafaa Sekkal Gherbi
Infectious Disease Epidemiology Group, Weill Cornell Medicine-Qatar, Cornell University, Qatar Foundation-Education City, Doha, Qatar; World Health Organization Collaborating Centre for Disease Epidemiology Analytics on HIV/AIDS, Sexually Transmitted Infections, and Viral Hepatitis, Weill Cornell Medicine-Qatar, Cornell University, Qatar Foundation-Education City, Doha, Qatar
Asalah Alareeki
Infectious Disease Epidemiology Group, Weill Cornell Medicine-Qatar, Cornell University, Qatar Foundation-Education City, Doha, Qatar; World Health Organization Collaborating Centre for Disease Epidemiology Analytics on HIV/AIDS, Sexually Transmitted Infections, and Viral Hepatitis, Weill Cornell Medicine-Qatar, Cornell University, Qatar Foundation-Education City, Doha, Qatar
Ahmed S. Alaama
Department of Communicable Diseases, HIV/Hepatitis/STIs Unit, World Health Organization Regional Office for the Eastern Mediterranean, Cairo, Egypt
Joumana G. Hermez
Department of Communicable Diseases, HIV/Hepatitis/STIs Unit, World Health Organization Regional Office for the Eastern Mediterranean, Cairo, Egypt
Infectious Disease Epidemiology Group, Weill Cornell Medicine-Qatar, Cornell University, Qatar Foundation-Education City, Doha, Qatar; World Health Organization Collaborating Centre for Disease Epidemiology Analytics on HIV/AIDS, Sexually Transmitted Infections, and Viral Hepatitis, Weill Cornell Medicine-Qatar, Cornell University, Qatar Foundation-Education City, Doha, Qatar; Department of Population Health Sciences, Weill Cornell Medicine, Cornell University, New York, NY, USA; Department of Public Health, College of Health Sciences, QU Health, Qatar University, Doha, Qatar; College of Health and Life Sciences, Hamad bin Khalifa University, Doha, Qatar; Corresponding author. Infectious Disease Epidemiology Group, World Health Organization Collaborating Centre for Disease Epidemiology Analytics on HIV/AIDS, Sexually Transmitted Infections, and Viral Hepatitis, Weill Cornell Medicine-Qatar, Qatar Foundation - Education City, P.O. Box 24144, Doha, Qatar.
Summary: Background: Trichomoniasis, caused by the parasite Trichomonas vaginalis (TV), remains an underappreciated sexually transmitted infection (STI), primarily due to inadequate understanding of its epidemiology and public health implications. This study aimed to characterize TV epidemiology in the Middle East and North Africa (MENA). Methods: Systematic review and analysis of evidence sourced from international, regional, and national databases were conducted. Findings were reported following PRISMA guidelines. Random-effects meta-analyses and meta-regressions were performed to determine pooled mean prevalence, investigate associations with prevalence, and identify sources of between-study heterogeneity. Findings: The review identified 263 relevant publications, encompassing 462 TV prevalence measures. The pooled mean TV prevalence was estimated as follows: 4.7% (95% CI: 3.9–5.6%) in the general population of women, 17.2% (95% CI: 5.4–33.6%) among intermediate-risk populations, 10.3% (95% CI: 6.2–15.3%) among female sex workers, 13.9% (95% CI: 12.3–15.6%) among symptomatic women, 7.4% (95% CI: 1.9–15.5%) among infertility clinic attendees, 2.3% (95% CI: 0.1–6.3%) among women with miscarriages or ectopic pregnancies, and 1.6% (95% CI: 0.8–2.7%) among STI clinic attendees. Limited data were found for men. Multivariable meta-regressions explained >40% of the prevalence variation, unveiling a hierarchical prevalence pattern by population type, an inverse correlation with national income, and a prevalence decline at a rate of 1% per calendar year. Interpretation: Despite conservative sexual norms, MENA has a substantial TV prevalence, comparable to the global TV prevalence. The unexpectedly high prevalence of this curable infection may, in part, be attributed to limited access to and underutilization of STI screening and treatment services. Funding: This work was supported by the Qatar Research, Development, and Innovation Council [ARG01-0522-230273] and by the Biomedical Research Program at Weill Cornell Medicine-Qatar.
