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Parasitic STI Curable

Trichomoniasis Testing

Trichomoniasis is the most common curable non-viral STI in the United States: a single-celled parasite, present in an estimated 2 million people, and silent in roughly 70% of them. A NAAT swab or urine test confirms it, and a short antibiotic course cures it: a 7-day metronidazole regimen for women, a single dose for men. Because re-infection is nearly guaranteed when partners go untreated, testing and treating together is what ends the cycle.

Find trichomoniasis testing near you When can trichomoniasis be detected?

Understanding trichomoniasis

Testing for trichomoniasis, in brief

Trichomoniasis is usually symptomless and quick to cure, so testing is the only reliable way to know you have it. This page covers how trichomoniasis testing works, what it costs, and where to get tested near you.

Full trichomoniasis overview: symptoms, complications & treatment

Where to get tested

Find trichomoniasis testing near you

Choose your test and enter your city: we'll take you straight to local trichomoniasis testing: nearby clinics and labs, prices, hours and county rates.

Test from home

At-home STD testing in the U.S.

if you'd rather skip the trip, an at-home kit ships to the U.S., you collect the sample privately, and mail it back to a CLIA-certified lab. Results come online in days, with a clinician available if anything is positive. Same labs as a clinic, no waiting room, and you can read how accurate at-home STD tests are before you order.

Want a free option first? The CDC-supported TakeMeHome program mails free at-home HIV self-test kits, and, in many areas, free STI kits, to your door, with no insurance or payment needed. The paid kits below add broader panels and faster turnaround.

  • In-home collection

    Quest Diagnostics

    Quest Diagnostics

    $79 & up

    Panel:
    8-infection panel incl. chlamydia, gonorrhea, HIV, syphilis, hepatitis & herpes: single tests too
    Sample:
    Quest Mobile: a phlebotomist collects your sample at home
    Results:
    1–3 days, online: physician-reviewed
    • In-home sample collection
    • Nationwide Quest lab network
    • Physician-reviewed results
    • FSA/HSA eligible
    Order online Quest Diagnostics review

  • Best for simplicity & support

    LetsGetChecked

    LetsGetChecked

    $89 & up

    Panel:
    5–6 common STIs incl. chlamydia, gonorrhea, HIV, syphilis & trichomoniasis
    Sample:
    Finger-prick + urine/swab
    Results:
    2–5 days, online
    • 24/7 nurse support
    • Prescription for positives
    • CLIA-certified labs
    • Free shipping both ways
    Order online LetsGetChecked review

  • Best value: single tests

    Everlywell

    Everlywell

    $49 & up

    Panel:
    Chlamydia & gonorrhea, up to a 6-test panel adding HIV, syphilis, trichomoniasis & hep C
    Sample:
    Finger-prick + swab
    Results:
    Days, online
    • Telehealth visit if positive
    • CLIA-certified labs
    • HSA/FSA eligible
    • Subscription savings
    Order online Everlywell review

Every kit uses CLIA-certified labs. At-home testing is for screening; a reactive result should be confirmed and treated by a clinician. Prices and panels shown are illustrative and change often, confirm current details on the provider's site.

Symptoms

Do you need a trichomoniasis test?

About 70% of infected people have no symptoms at all: and when symptoms do appear, they can come and go over days or weeks, making trichomoniasis easy to dismiss without a specific test. That's exactly why testing matters: you can have it, pass it on, and never feel a thing.

See every trichomoniasis symptom — in women, men, rectal & throat

How testing works

How a trichomoniasis test works

Testing for trichomoniasis is simple and painless — you pee in a cup or do a quick swab, and a lab checks the sample for the infection. Below: your options, what each costs, and how soon you can test after a possible exposure.

Your trichomoniasis testing window

After a possible exposure, a trichomoniasis test becomes reliable around 1–4 weeks later.

Exposure Day 0 Earliest reliable Day 7 Conclusive Day 28

Before day 7 a test can miss it · from day 7 it's reliable · re-test after day 28 if you tested early.

After treatment

The CDC recommends re-testing about 3 months after treatment. Re-infection from an untreated or newly exposed partner is the primary driver of recurrence: asymptomatic re-infection is the norm, so a follow-up test is the only reliable confirmation you remain clear.

NAAT, vaginal swab or urine Most accurate
Sample
Vaginal swab (self- or clinician-collected) or urine
Results
1–3 days

The CDC-preferred and most sensitive test, detects T. vaginalis DNA with sensitivity approaching 95–100%, compared to ~50–70% for wet-mount microscopy. Vaginal swab is the preferred sample in women; urine works well in men. Important: trichomoniasis NAAT is not always included in standard STI panels, specifically request it.

Wet-mount microscopy
Sample
Vaginal swab
Results
Same day (in-office)

Rapid and cheap, but detects only ~50–70% of infections. A negative wet mount does not rule out trichomoniasis. Still used in resource-limited settings or as an initial in-office screen, with NAAT confirmation if clinical suspicion remains.

Rapid antigen test (OSOM Trichomonas)
Sample
Vaginal swab
Results
~10 minutes (point-of-care)

83–88% sensitive; more accurate than wet mount and useful when NAAT is not immediately available. Positive results are reliable. Negative results in symptomatic patients should be confirmed with NAAT.

At-home NAAT kit
Sample
Self-collected vaginal swab, mailed to a CLIA lab
Results
2–5 days

Same NAAT technology done privately at home, often bundled in at-home STI panels alongside chlamydia and gonorrhea. A clinician follows up if the result is positive.

What a trichomoniasis test costs

Where What it costs
Private lab (self-pay)NAAT self-pay roughly $30–$90 at a private lab; at-home STI panels that include trichomoniasis run approximately $45–$150
Free / sliding-scale clinicFree or sliding-scale testing at health departments, Title X family-planning clinics, and community health centers
With insuranceCovered by most insurance plans when clinically indicated; check with your insurer for specific cost-sharing details

Compare STD testing costs across every option.

Screening guidance

Who should get tested for trichomoniasis?

Because trichomoniasis is often silent, the CDC and U.S. Preventive Services Task Force recommend routine screening for the groups most likely to have it, not just people with symptoms.

  1. 1

    Women with vaginal discharge, itching, or odor

    Frothy yellow-green vaginal discharge with a fishy or musty odor, itching, burning, or redness are the classic symptoms, but symptoms come and go even without treatment. A negative symptom check never means you're clear. A NAAT is the only reliable answer.

  2. 2

    Anyone whose partner tested positive

    Both partners must be tested and treated simultaneously. If only one partner is treated, re-infection on resuming sex is virtually certain, the untreated partner remains infected and symptoms will return within weeks.

  3. 3

    People living with HIV

    The CDC recommends at least annual trichomoniasis screening for all people living with HIV. The two infections interact directly: trichomoniasis increases genital inflammation and HIV viral shedding, raising transmission risk significantly.

  4. 4

    Pregnant people

    Trichomoniasis in pregnancy is associated with preterm birth, premature rupture of membranes, and low birth weight. Test if symptoms are present; discuss routine screening with your provider based on individual risk.

  5. 5

    Anyone newly diagnosed with another STI

    Trichomoniasis commonly co-occurs with chlamydia and gonorrhea. If you test positive for one STI, testing for trich at the same time is practical and catches infections that standard panels miss.

  6. 6

    Older sexually active women

    Unlike most STIs that peak sharply in the 15–24 age group, trichomoniasis maintains significant prevalence across all adult age groups. Women in their 40s and 50s have meaningfully elevated rates, routine testing is not just a young person's concern.

Browse by location

Trichomoniasis testing by state & city

Jump to local trichomoniasis testing, clinics and labs, prices and county rates, in your state or a popular city, or explore another test.

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More on trichomoniasis

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Living with trichomoniasis

Questions to ask your provider about trichomoniasis

Trichomoniasis is treatable and nothing to be ashamed of. The most useful next step after a positive result (or before a first test) is a direct conversation with a clinician. Here are the questions that matter most:

  • Is my trichomoniasis test result definitive, or do I need a confirmatory test?
  • What treatment options are available to me, and how long until I'm no longer contagious?
  • Should I notify my recent partners, and can your office help me do that confidentially?
  • How soon can I re-test to confirm the infection has cleared?
  • Are there other STIs I should test for at the same visit?
  • Can this affect my fertility, pregnancy, or long-term health if left untreated?

Good to Know

Trichomoniasis testing FAQs

Common questions about trichomoniasis and trichomoniasis testing, answered.

How is trichomoniasis tested?

The gold-standard test is a NAAT (nucleic acid amplification test), which detects T. vaginalis DNA with sensitivity approaching 95–100%. For women, a vaginal swab, self-collected or clinician-collected, is the preferred sample. For men, a urine sample works well. You can order it at a private lab with no appointment, visit a health department or Title X clinic, or use an at-home STI panel that includes trichomoniasis. One important note: trichomoniasis is not always included in standard STI panels, you may need to ask for it specifically. Results typically come back in 1–3 days.

Medically Reviewed · Updated

Reviewed by Dr. Grace Lin, MD, FACOG · OB-GYN

Obstetrician-gynecologist focused on reproductive and sexual health for women: pregnancy, BV, yeast, trichomoniasis and HPV/cervical screening. Our editorial guidelines →

5 Sources

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Data & references

Have a different question? Browse the full STD & STI FAQ library, every question we answer, in one place.