Changes

The protozoa resides on the surface and in the lumen of the female reproductive tract and in the crypt of penile epithelial cells. Transmission is achieved from infected individuals during mating and direct contact.

The protozoa resides on the surface and in the lumen of the female reproductive tract and in the crypt of penile epithelial cells. Transmission is achieved from infected individuals during mating and direct contact.

''T. foetus'' has no known cyst stage, although carrier cows occur very rarely and the pathogenesis of the carrier state is unknown. Therefore, trophozoites replicate simply by binary fission. It is thought that ''T. foetus'' feeds from host lipids and fatty acids <ref>Beach DH, Holz GGJr, Singh BN, Lindmark DG, 1991. '''Phospholipid metabolism of cultured ''Trichomonas vaginalis'' and Tritrichomonas foetus'''. ''Molecular and Biochemical Parasitology'', 44(1:97-108;19)</ref>

''T. foetus'' has no known cyst stage, although carrier cows occur very rarely and the pathogenesis of the carrier state is unknown. Therefore, trophozoites replicate simply by binary fission. It is thought that ''T. foetus'' feeds from host lipids and fatty acids <ref>Beach DH, Holz GGJr, Singh BN, Lindmark DG, 1991. '''Phospholipid metabolism of cultured ''Trichomonas vaginalis'' and ''Tritrichomonas foetus'''''. ''Molecular and Biochemical Parasitology'', 44(1:97-108;19)</ref>

''T. foetus'' is sometimes isolated from foetal gut and lung but this is unlikely to be due to invasion and more likely due to swallowing or inhalation of amniotic fluid in utero.

''T. foetus'' is sometimes isolated from foetal gut and lung but this is unlikely to be due to invasion and more likely due to swallowing or inhalation of amniotic fluid in utero.