Your risk of cancer may be increased by up to five times due to a nearly unheard of STI, according to researchers.
The warning comes as the incredibly common but little known STI, Trichomoniasis, was found to increase a women's chances of developing cervical cancer. Also known as Trich, the infection often goes undetected as the majority of cases are asymptomatic. However, those who do experience warning signs may have pain when urinating or unusual discharge from their genitals.
According to a women's health expert, Trich harms the cervical tissue creating a 'favourable environment' for HPV - the virus responsible for 99 per cent of cervical cancer cases, reports the Mirror.
Researchers analysed almost half a million women with Trich, finding that 80 per cent of those were more likely to have HPV.
Despite being somewhat unknown, the STI is actually more widespread that both chlamydia and gonorrhoea in some parts of the world, infecting 180 million people every year.
Published in the International Journal of Gynecology & Obstetrics, the study took sampled from 473,000 women over the past 15 years. Carried out by a team of Hungarian experts, the research is said to be the first of its kind, spanning four continents.
According to the results, 8,518 participants - around 1.8 per cent - had Trich.
The team found that those with the infection were 79 per cent more likely to have human papillomavirus (HPV) too, compared to those who didn't.
Doctor Balázs Hamar, lead researcher and expert in obstetrics and gynaecology at Semmelweis University in Budapest, said: "This is because the infection causes the inflammation and abruption of the cervical epithelium/cervix, providing a favourable environment for pathogens such as HPV."
The sexually transmitted infection is often difficult to diagnose due to its subtle or even non-existent symptoms. However, US scientists have recently developed an easy and cheap way to identify the infection using a finger prick test.
The STI is mainly spread from person to person through unprotected sex or the sharing of sex toys.
Once a diagnosis is given, Trich is treated with antibiotics, with the infection usually clearing up quickly.
There are 6,000 cases of the STI diagnosed in the UK every year, with 90 per cent of those in women, according to The National Institute for Health and Care Excellence.
Around 850 women across the UK lose their life to cervical cancer every year, meaning it is vital to get check if you think you may have the STI to ensure your risk of disease is not increased.
What are the symptoms of trichomoniasis?
The symptoms of Trichomoniasis can vary, with many not even realising they have it.
Symptoms are also common to other STIs.
For women, they can be:
- Abnormal vaginal discharge that may be thick, thin or frothy and yellow-green in colour.
- Producing more discharge than normal, which may also have an unpleasant fishy smell.
- Soreness, swelling and itching around the vagina – sometimes the inner thighs also become itchy.
- Pain or discomfort when passing urine or having sex.
And for men:
- Pain when peeing or during ejaculation.
- Needing to pee more frequently than usual.
- Thin, white discharge from the penis.
- Soreness, swelling and redness around the head of the penis or foreskin.
If you have any of the symptoms listed above you should contact your GP or local sexual health clinic. It is also suggested that those sexually active complete regular sexual health screening as Trich and other infections may give no warning signs.
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