About one-third to one-half of women infected with trichomoniasis experience no symptoms, according to the National Women’s Health Resource Center. However, some women do experience symptoms, usually between five and 28 days after exposure. These symptoms include:

• Inflammation, irritation and itching in the genital area (vaginitis).
  
  
• Yellow, green or gray vaginal discharge. This is often thick and foamy, and sometimes has a strong “fish-like” odor.
  
  
• Discomfort during sexual intercourse (dyspareunia) or urination (dysuria).
  
  
• Soreness or itching of the labia and inner thighs. The labia may also be swollen.
  
  
• Lower abdominal pain (in rare cases).

Women who have any of these symptoms should notify their physician, preferably a gynecologist. The physician will do a pelvic exam and look for small, red sores in the vagina or on the cervix. Further testing will be needed to determine the exact cause of symptoms, which are similar to those of other inflammatory conditions of the vagina and cervix. Women should also refrain from having sexual relations until their condition is diagnosed and treated.

Women should be aware that a male partner infected with trichomoniasis usually has no symptoms. In some cases, men may have urethritis (inflammation of the urethra), dysuria or discharge from the penis. Even when untreated, a man’s symptoms may disappear after about a week or so, but he can still infect or reinfect his partner.