Background: Some eukaryotic microorganisms, including flagellated protozoan called Trichomonas tenax, are effective in causing periodontal diseases. The purpose of this study is to review Iranian articles on the prevalence of Trichomonas tenax in order to provide a comprehensive description of the prevalence of this parasite in the country.
Methods: To investigate the research articles on the prevalence of Trichomonas tenax on the Iranian population, a systematic search was conducted in Persian and English databases. The search process led to the inclusion of 9 articles into this systematic review, all of which entered meta-analysis.
Results: In the reviewed articles, a total of 1,651 people had been examined for Trichomonas tenax infection. Based on the random effects model, the prevalence of this parasite in Iran was 0.07 with a 95% confidence interval (0.02-0.13) (P< 0.001).
Conclusion: The findings of the experimental study showed that the maximum Trichomonas tenax prevalence in Iran was 36.6%. On the other hand, the prevalence of this parasite is higher in patients with periodontitis than in healthy individuals. Hence, the parasite can be a serious concern for the health of the oral cavity. Therefore, it is necessary to estimate the prevalence of this infection using standard methods. Moreover, the factors associated with the prevalence of this parasite should be examined.