A systematic review and meta-analysis on the global status of Trichomonas vaginalis virus in Trichomonas vaginalis

Background: The small (4.5-5kbp), double-stranded Trichomonas vaginalis virus (TVV) that inhabits in the T. vaginalis parasite has been potentially associated to parasite virulence or its drug resistance. The aim of present study was to estimate the global and regional status of TVV in T. vaginalis. Methods: A systematic search was conducted for published articles between January 1990 and December 2020 by using five major databases include PubMed, Embase, Scopus, and Web of Science as well as Google scholar search engine. The random-effect model was applied for pooled prevalence of TVV, geographical distribution, and heterogeneity by comprehensive meta-analysis (V2.2, Bio stat) software. Findings: A total of 28 studies were included for final meta-analysis. The pooled prevalence of TVV was estimated at 47% (95% CI, 39.3-54.8%). With respect to WHO regions, the lowest and highest prevalence rates were reported from South-East Asia 23% (95% CI, 12-41%) and African 66% (95% CI, 25-92%), respectively. Considering the countries, the prevalence was highest in the Brazil 90% (95% CI, 73-97%) and lowest in the South Korea 14% (95% CI, 4-35%). Conclusion: The high prevalence of the parasitic virus emphasizes the need to pay attention to the behavior of the parasite, both in terms of clinical symptoms and drug resistance. Moreover, it is suggested that more studies (i.e. in vitro, in vivo, and case-control studies) should be conducted for deep understanding of this coexistence.

Automated summary

This study aimed to estimate the global and regional status of Trichomonas vaginalis virus (TVV) in T. vaginalis. The results showed a high prevalence of TVV, especially in Brazil, emphasizing the importance of paying attention to parasite behavior and conducting more studies for a deeper understanding of this coexistence.