This page is general health information, not medical advice. It cannot tell you whether you have an infection. A clinician can, and the testing options on this site are a good place to start.

Trichomoniasis is a common infection that many people have never heard of. The CDC calls it the most common curable sexually transmitted infection. It is caused by a tiny parasite, and a clinician can treat it with prescription medicine.

This guide covers how trichomoniasis symptoms differ by sex, how testing works, what treatment involves, and where to ask about testing in Houston. It is meant to help you have a clearer conversation with a clinician.

What trichomoniasis is

Trichomoniasis is caused by a single-celled parasite called Trichomonas vaginalis. It is not a virus and it is not a bacterium. That matters because it responds to a different kind of antimicrobial medicine than chlamydia or gonorrhea do.

The CDC says the parasite spreads through sexual contact, including vulvar-to-vulvar contact and contact between a penis and a vagina. It can affect people of any gender and any orientation.

The CDC estimated about 2.6 million infections in the United States in 2018. That figure comes from national modeling, not from Houston counts. I did not find a published Houston or Harris County trichomoniasis rate. For local numbers, the Houston Health Department and Harris County Public Health are the right places to ask.

Trichomoniasis symptoms

The first thing to know is that symptoms are often absent. The CDC says about 70 percent of people with the infection have no signs or symptoms. Someone can have trichomoniasis and feel completely fine.

When symptoms do appear, the CDC says they can begin about 5 to 28 days after exposure. For some people they appear later, and for others they come and go.

Symptoms reported by people with a vagina

The CDC lists these common signs:

Itching, burning, redness or soreness of the genitals
Discomfort when urinating
A change in vaginal discharge, which can be clear, white, yellowish or greenish and may be thicker or thinner than usual

Symptoms reported by people with a penis

The CDC lists these common signs:

Itching or irritation inside the penis
Burning after urinating or ejaculating
Discharge from the penis

None of these symptoms is specific to trichomoniasis. Yeast infections, bacterial vaginosis, urinary tract infections and other STIs can look similar. Only a clinician and a lab test can tell what is causing them.

How testing works

The CDC STI Treatment Guidelines (2021) recommend a nucleic acid amplification test, called a NAAT, as a sensitive way to detect the parasite. A NAAT looks for the organism's genetic material.

The sample depends on your anatomy and the clinic's process:

People with a vagina: a vaginal swab, which a clinician can collect or you can collect yourself in a private room. Urine and cervical samples are other options the CDC describes.
People with a penis: a urine sample is the usual option. Some labs use a urethral swab.

Some clinics use older methods, such as looking at a sample under a microscope. The CDC guidelines note that microscopy misses a share of infections that a NAAT can find. If you want to understand which test a clinic uses, you can ask.

Many routine STI visits do not include trichomoniasis testing unless you have symptoms or ask for it. If you want it included, say so when you book or check in.

A note on timing

The CDC does not give one firm window period for trichomoniasis testing in the sources I relied on. If you recently had a possible exposure, ask the clinician when a test is most informative for you. A result that is negative very soon after exposure may be repeated later.

Trichomoniasis treatment

Trichomoniasis is curable. Treatment is a prescription antibiotic from a clinician, such as a physician, nurse practitioner or physician assistant. The CDC guidelines describe the choice of medicine and the length of treatment as something a clinician decides based on your situation, including your sex and whether you are pregnant. This page does not give doses or schedules, and you should not use leftover medicine or someone else's prescription.

A few practical points the CDC and clinicians commonly raise:

Finish the full prescription as the clinician directs, even if symptoms fade quickly.
Ask about alcohol. Some medicines used for trichomoniasis have specific instructions about drinking. Ask the clinician or pharmacist what applies to yours.
Tell the clinician about allergies, pregnancy or breastfeeding, and about any other medicine you take.
Pause sex until treatment is complete. The CDC advises people to wait until they and their partners have finished treatment, and until any symptoms are gone.

Partner treatment

Trichomoniasis can pass back and forth between partners. That is one reason the CDC recommends that sexual partners be treated at the same time. If only one person is treated, the other can pass the infection back.

Texas has a legal route that can make this easier. According to the CDC's Legal Status of EPT in Texas page, Texas Medical Board rules allow a physician to prescribe STD medication for the partners of an established patient without first seeing those partners. The same page says advanced practice nurses may do this too, and that pharmacists may dispense partner prescriptions. These come from administrative rules, not a specific EPT statute. Whether it is offered for your situation is a decision for your clinician, so ask at your visit.

Partners can also be seen on their own. Many people find it easier to book a visit together or around the same time.

Retesting after treatment

Reinfection is common, so the CDC STI Treatment Guidelines (2021) recommend retesting after treatment for sexually active women. The guidelines say to retest within 3 months, even if partners were treated. The guidelines also describe retesting as reasonable for other people who were treated, so ask your clinician what makes sense for you.

Retesting is not a sign that something went wrong. It is a routine safety check, because a person can be exposed again without any new symptoms.

Why it matters beyond the symptoms

Research summarized in the CDC guidelines suggests that trichomoniasis is linked with other health concerns:

HIV. The CDC says trichomoniasis can make it easier to get HIV or pass it on. The guidelines recommend that women with HIV be screened for trichomoniasis.
Pregnancy. The CDC notes that trichomoniasis in pregnancy has been associated with preterm birth and low birth weight. If you are pregnant, tell your prenatal clinician about any symptoms or past diagnosis.
Other infections. Genital inflammation may be associated with a higher chance of picking up other STIs.

These are associations reported in research, not outcomes for every person. Many people with trichomoniasis never develop complications, and treatment is how clinicians address the risk.

Where to ask about testing in Houston

Houston has several free and low-cost options. Not every site tests for every infection, so it helps to call first and ask specifically about trichomoniasis. Our list of Houston testing locations has the full set, and our guide to STD testing in Houston and what it costs goes further into costs and what to expect.

Houston Health Department health centers

The Houston Health Department offers STD services at Northside Health Center (8504 Schuller Rd., Houston, TX 77093), Sharpstown Health Services (6201 Bonhomme Rd., 3rd Floor, South Tower, Houston, TX 77036) and Sunnyside Health and Multi-Service Center (4410 Reed Rd., Houston, TX 77051). The phone number for all three is 832-393-4220. The department lists the fees as a sliding scale.

The department says walk-ins are accepted as capacity permits, and that appointments are encouraged from September 1, 2026. Its pages do not specify which tests are in a given visit, so ask whether trichomoniasis testing is available. You can find the department's information at houstonhealth.org.

Harris County Public Health Antoine Clinic

The clinic is at 5815 Antoine Dr., Houston, TX 77091. Harris County Public Health lists its services as free and says walk-ins are welcome. The phone number is 832-927-7350. The listed hours are Monday to Thursday 8am to 7pm, closed Friday, and every other Saturday 8am to 2pm. The county page says to confirm before you go.

Its page names testing for HIV, syphilis, gonorrhea and chlamydia, and STI treatment. It does not name trichomoniasis, so call and ask. Details are on the Harris County Public Health HIV and STI page.

Legacy Community Health, Montrose

Legacy Community Health is at 1415 California St., Houston, TX 77006, phone (832) 548-5100. Legacy says HIV, syphilis and hepatitis C testing are free and that services are open to all regardless of ability to pay. Walk-in testing is offered for those three, and a full STI panel is offered as appointments are available. The clinic's page does not list a price for the full panel, so ask when you call. There is also an express testing option for uninsured patients without symptoms. See Legacy's HIV and STD page.

Sites that may not cover trichomoniasis

Avenue 360 Health & Wellness (Heights and Midtown) and The Montrose Center offer free walk-in rapid HIV, hepatitis C and syphilis testing. Their pages do not describe a full STI panel. They can be good for those tests, but call before relying on them for trichomoniasis.

The state's free mail-order program, Test for Texas, covers HIV, syphilis, gonorrhea and chlamydia, according to Texas DSHS. It does not list trichomoniasis.

Finding more options

The CDC runs a national locator at gettested.cdc.gov where you can enter a Houston ZIP code to see more sites. Each site's own page or phone line will tell you what it tests for.

What to look for in a testing site

Since there is no single product to choose here, quality comes down to the clinic and the test. These are sensible things to ask:

Which tests are included? Ask if trichomoniasis is part of the panel or needs a separate request.
Is it a NAAT? The CDC guidelines favor it for sensitivity.
How do results reach you? Ask whether it is by phone, portal or visit, and how long it usually takes.
Can treatment happen there? Some sites test only, while others can prescribe on the same visit or soon after.
What will it cost? If a page does not list a price, ask before the visit. A sliding scale means the fee depends on income.
Is the site run by a health department, a community health center or another established clinic? Those are the sources used here.

Privacy and cost questions

Many people worry about who will see a result. A clinic's privacy notice and front desk can explain how results are shared. Texas law allows a minor to consent to diagnosis and treatment of certain reportable infectious diseases under Family Code Section 32.003, and it lets a physician tell a parent or guardian about the treatment. Whether that law covers trichomoniasis is a question for the clinic, so teens should ask about confidentiality before the visit instead of assuming.

Cost is often easier than expected. If the price is not posted, call and ask about sliding-scale fees, financial assistance, or whether your insurance will be billed.

Key points

Trichomoniasis is a parasitic infection, and the CDC calls it the most common curable STI.
About 70 percent of people have no symptoms, according to the CDC.
A NAAT is the test the CDC guidelines favor.
Treatment is a prescription from a clinician, and partners are treated at the same time.
Retesting within 3 months is recommended for sexually active women, per the CDC.
In Houston, call a site first and ask whether it tests for trichomoniasis.

If you are also thinking about other infections, our guide to chlamydia symptoms, testing and treatment in Houston covers a bacterial STI that often comes up alongside this one.

Trichomoniasis: Symptoms, Testing and Treatment in Houston