Online trichomoniasis test referral · Australia-wide testing
FREEwith Medicare (bulk-billed)
A Specialist GP arranges your test over a quick phone call — they review your symptoms and send a referral by SMS for a NAAT on a swab or urine sample. No Medicare? Prefer no call? Order it online for $39 instead.
Trich, BV and thrush can look alike, so a test confirms which one it is.
Book a bulk-billed phone consult — or order a $39 referral
Get tested at any pathology lab Australia-wide — simply walk in
Results by SMS in 2-3 days — free telehealth if positive
Pathology tests covered by Medicare and most Private Health Insurers.
Trich Testing
Trichomoniasis is a genuine STI, but not in the routine 5-infection screen by default. Australian guidelines reserve testing for symptoms, partners of someone diagnosed, higher-prevalence groups, and pregnancy with symptoms — though it is easily added on the same swab or urine sample if you ask.
Trich, BV, and thrush can all cause discharge but need different treatments. The symptom alone cannot tell them apart, so a test confirms which one it is.
What trichomoniasis is. Trichomoniasis ("trich") is caused by Trichomonas vaginalis, a single-celled parasite — not a bacterium or virus. In women it causes vaginitis — often a frothy yellow-green discharge, irritation, and a fishy odour; in men it usually causes no symptoms at all. Because it is a parasite, it needs a specific anti-parasitic treatment — standard antibiotics do not clear it.
The test is a urine sample or a vaginal swab. The current test is a nucleic acid amplification test (NAAT), which detects the parasite's genetic material from a self-collected vaginal swab or a first-part urine sample. It is far more accurate than older wet-mount microscopy, which picks up only around 60 percent of infections because it relies on seeing the parasite alive and moving. If you have had a negative wet-mount but ongoing symptoms, a NAAT is worth requesting. The Specialist GP sends the referral by SMS after the consult, and results typically return in 2-3 days.
The test is reliable about 1 to 2 weeks after exposure. This window is similar to chlamydia testing and gonorrhoea testing (about 2 weeks) and shorter than syphilis. A negative test taken at the right time reliably excludes infection; if symptoms continue, the Specialist GP can look at other causes such as BV, thrush, or atrophic vaginitis after menopause.
Most men carry it without symptoms. Many men clear it silently but can still pass it to a partner who then develops symptoms, so a man whose partner has been diagnosed should test even when he feels well. Older women are also a higher-prevalence group: rates in women in their 40s and 50s exceed those in younger women, the opposite of the chlamydia pattern.
Partners are treated together. Treatment is usually a single oral dose and highly effective. Partners from the past 2 months should be treated at the same time to prevent reinfection — for trich specifically, treating a partner on the basis of your diagnosis is well-established because the treatment is single-dose and well-tolerated. In pregnancy, untreated trichomoniasis is linked to premature birth and low birth weight, so symptomatic testing is recommended and treatment is safe.
A new diagnosis is a good reason for a full screen. Trichomoniasis often travels with other infections, so a positive result is a sensible trigger for the broader 5-infection STI screen — chlamydia, gonorrhoea, syphilis, HIV, and hepatitis B. A Specialist GP phone consult can work out whether trich testing is right for you and what your results would mean. See the hero section above to book.
Frequently asked questions
At least 1 to 2 weeks. The current NAAT-based test for trichomoniasis is reliable from about 1 to 2 weeks after the last possible exposure — shorter than syphilis (6 weeks) but similar to chlamydia and gonorrhoea (2 weeks). If you have current symptoms (vaginitis, frothy discharge, fishy odour), testing earlier is reasonable because symptomatic infections usually have higher parasite loads. For people without symptoms, the 2-week wait is the standard.
Neither. Trichomoniasis is caused by a single-celled parasite (a protozoan) called Trichomonas vaginalis. This makes it different from chlamydia and gonorrhoea, which are bacterial, and herpes and HPV, which are viral. The implication is that trichomoniasis needs specific anti-parasitic treatment — standard antibiotics for bacterial STIs do not clear it. Treatment for trichomoniasis is usually a single oral dose and is highly effective.
Yes, this is one of the most relevant age groups for trichomoniasis testing. Rates in women in their 40s and 50s are higher than in younger women in Australia, which is the opposite of the chlamydia pattern. The standard panel for new vaginitis symptoms includes trichomoniasis, bacterial vaginosis, and candida. The Specialist GP can also discuss other causes that present similarly in this age group, including atrophic vaginitis.
Yes, ideally. Trichomoniasis in men is frequently without symptoms but can still be transmitted to partners. The current NAAT-based test detects infections that older microscopy methods miss, including many infections in men without symptoms. The Specialist GP can also discuss whether treating partners on the basis of your diagnosis (without their own test result) makes sense based on the timing of last contact — for trichomoniasis specifically, treating partners on the basis of your diagnosis is a well-established approach because the treatment is single-dose and well-tolerated.
Yes. The older wet-mount microscopy method detects only about 60 percent of trichomoniasis infections that the modern NAAT can detect. A negative wet-mount in someone with ongoing symptoms is a reasonable trigger for NAAT testing. The wet-mount sees the parasite directly under the microscope, which requires the parasite to be alive and visibly moving at the moment of examination — the NAAT detects genetic material regardless. The Specialist GP can arrange the NAAT alongside any other testing needed.
They are different conditions but can present similarly. Bacterial vaginosis (BV) is a shift in the normal vaginal bacteria; recent Australian research now considers it sexually transmissible, though it is not a classic STI like trichomoniasis. Trichomoniasis is an STI caused by a parasite. Both can cause vaginal discharge, fishy odour, and elevated vaginal pH. Testing distinguishes the two: a NAAT for trichomoniasis is positive or negative; BV is diagnosed by characteristic features and sometimes specific BV testing. Both are treatable, but the treatments differ.
Yes. The standard test in men is a first-part urine NAAT — the same sample type used for chlamydia and gonorrhoea. Hold the urine for at least an hour before collecting. For men with urethral symptoms that persist after standard chlamydia and gonorrhoea treatment, trichomoniasis testing is reasonable particularly if the female partner has any vaginitis symptoms.
Not routinely as part of standard antenatal screening in most parts of Australia. If you have vaginitis symptoms during pregnancy, testing is recommended because untreated trichomoniasis is associated with premature birth and low birth weight. Treatment in pregnancy is safe and effective. The Specialist GP coordinates with your maternity team if any treatment is given.
Pathology lab fees for trichomoniasis testing have Medicare item numbers that apply in specific situations — particularly for symptomatic presentations and partner-contact testing. The NAAT add-on may have a separate fee depending on your pathology provider. See our fees page for Clinic365 fees, and the Specialist GP can confirm the pathology fee structure at booking.
Routine screening for trichomoniasis in the general population is not currently recommended in Australia because the prevalence in low-risk groups is low enough that universal testing would yield many false-positive results and unnecessary treatments. Testing is reserved for people with symptoms, partners of someone diagnosed, women in higher-prevalence communities, and specific clinical scenarios such as pregnancy with symptoms. If you specifically want trichomoniasis included in your STI screen, mention this at the consult.
