Beta-hemolytic activity of Trichomonas vaginalis correlates with virulence

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Abstract
The reasons that some women develop symptomatic trichomonal vaginitis, whereas many other infected women remain asymptomatic, are unclear, but it has been suggested that T. vaginalis strains vary in their intrinsic virulence. .beta.-Hemolytic activity in T. vaginalis which correlates with virulence in patients as well as in an animal model (mice) and in tissue culture is described. Fresh T. vaginalis isolates from 4 women with severe, symptomatic trichomoniasis had high-level (86.3 .+-. 6.6%) hemolytic activity, whereas isolates from 3 completely asymptomatic women had low-level (45.3 .+-. 8.4%) hemolytic activity (P < 0.001). Hemolytic activity also correlated with the production of s.c. abscesses in mice (r = 0.74) and with destruction of CHO [Chinese hamster ovary CHO cell] cell monolayers (r = 0.94). All of the 20 clinical isolates of T. vaginalis tested possessed hemolytic activity. The .beta.-hemolysin may be a virulence factor for T. vaginalis.

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