Molecular detection of trichomonas vaginalis in prostate needle biopsies: its association with prostate abnormalities

Abstract Objective Prostate cancer, one of the most prevalent malignancies in men, arises from genetic, environmental, and infectious factors, with emerging evidence suggesting a potential contributory role for Trichomonas vaginalis , the causative agent of trichomoniasis. This study investigated the possible association between T. vaginalis DNA detection and prostate pathological findings, including prostate cancer (PCa), benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH), prostatic intraepithelial neoplasia (PIN), and prostatitis. Results Among the 151 prostate tissue specimens analyzed, T. vaginalis DNA was detected in 8 (5.29%). Positivity was 9.6% (5/52) in adenocarcinoma samples, 6.3% (2/32) in BPH samples, and 5.0% (1/20) in prostatitis samples. Positivity was significantly higher among individuals aged 51–60 years (12.5%, 6/48; P = 0.013). BLAST and phylogenetic analyses identified the detected sequences as T. vaginalis genotype G3. No statistically significant association was observed between T. vaginalis detection and overall prostate pathological status. These findings provide preliminary molecular evidence of T. vaginalis DNA in prostate tissue and support the need for further studies with larger sample sizes to clarify its clinical significance and potential relationship with prostate pathology.