Thrush how is it spread

This is evidenced by a study in the Journal of Women's Health in which females with persistent or recurrent yeast infections were more likely to seroconvert become HIV-positive than females who didn't have a yeast infection. It is important to note that having recurrent or persistent yeast infections suggests an impaired immune status. So, it is not entirely clear if the yeast infection contributed to the seroconversion or if it was a sign of a weak immune system.

Because oral sex can potentially trigger or exacerbate a vaginal yeast infection, it is important to practice safer sex if you are prone to recurrence. This includes using a dental dam when engaging in oral-vaginal sex. Dental dams can be found online and in most drugstores. You should also consider using a water-based lubricant instead of saliva for mutual masturbation or vaginal intercourse. Some water-based lubricants like KY Jelly have no effect on vaginal lactobacilli, while others like Replens Silky Soft may promote lactobacillus growth.

If you have a yeast infection, you should either avoid sex or use condoms when engaging in vaginal intercourse. Doing so also decreases the risk of HIV. Generally speaking, the fungus that commonly causes thrush Candida albicans is not contagious.

It typically grows and causes symptoms only when the immune system is suppressed. Thrush is not considered contagious. While antifungal drugs can help clear a Candida infection, the drugs are not considered to be tools for prevention. In short, whether you are being treated for thrush or not being treated for thrush, your risk of infecting another person through kissing, oral sex, or other means is negligible. There is no evidence that oral sex can transmit Candida from one person to another.

With that said, oral sex may increase the risk of a yeast infection by altering the vagina's natural flora. Most people do not need to be concerned about the sexual transmission of thrush or yeast infections. However, people who have recurrent vaginal yeast infections may want to discuss the benefits of safer sex with their doctor.

Doing so may reduce the likelihood of candidiasis and other more potentially serious diseases. In addition, an anti- Candida diet may reduce your risk by removing the dietary sugars that the fungus feeds on. Probiotic foods and supplements may also contribute to improved vaginal health by helping maintain the natural vaginal flora. Get our printable guide for your next doctor's appointment to help you ask the right questions.

Sign up for our Health Tip of the Day newsletter, and receive daily tips that will help you live your healthiest life. In: StatPearls [Internet]. Updated November 20, Adaptive immune responses to Candida albicans infection.

Sexual behavior and its association with persistent oral lesions: analysis of the POP-Brazil study. Clin Oral Invest. Vulvovaginal candidosis: current concepts, challenges and perspectives. J Fungi. Variations in vaginal, penile, and oral microbiota after sexual intercourse: a case report. Front Med. Keeping Candida commensal — how lactobacilli antagonize pathogenicity of Candida albicans in an in vitro gut model.

Dis Model Mechanism. Higher-risk behavioral practices associated with bacterial vaginosis compared with vaginal candidiasis. Obstet Gynecol. Candida transmission and sexual behaviors as risks for a repeat episode of candida vulvovaginitis.

J Women Health. Planned Parenthood. Is it safe to have oral sex when you have a yeast infection? June 20, Hester R, Kennedy S. Candida infection as a risk factor for HIV transmission. Thrush can be diagnosed by examination of the affected area. A swab can also be taken and tested in a laboratory to confirm a diagnosis of thrush.

You can buy pessaries dissolving tablets you put into the vagina and cream over-the-counter from your pharmacy. Complete the treatment even if you are having a period. Men should apply the cream to the genital area, penis and under the foreskin, if uncircumcised. Your doctor may also test for sexually transmissible infections, which can cause similar symptoms. Your sex partners may need treatment at the same time to stop you getting it again.

This publication is provided for education and information purposes only. It is not a substitute for professional medical care. Information about a therapy, service, product or treatment does not imply endorsement and is not intended to replace advice from your healthcare professional. Readers should note that over time currency and completeness of the information may change.

All users should seek advice from a qualified healthcare professional for a diagnosis and answers to their medical questions. Skip to navigation Skip to main content Site map Accessibility Contact us. Search this site Search all sites Search. Go to whole of WA Government Search.

Thrush can also occur in other parts of the body, such as the mouth. Vaginal thrush is not a sexually transmitted infection STI. This overgrowth may occur due to:. Treatment aims to reduce the number of yeasts so they no longer cause symptoms.

Options that are available from your local pharmacist without a prescription include:. Sometimes symptoms only last for a short time for example, the week before your period and treatment is not necessary. You can still have sex when you have vaginal thrush. However, it can be uncomfortable and you may experience a burning sensation during or after sex.

Use plenty of lubricant to protect your skin. The treatment for thrush can weaken condoms, so apply the treatments after you have had sex if you are using condoms. A few other vaginal conditions result in symptoms that are like those of thrush.

See your doctor if you:. Your GP can check for the presence of other skin conditions that may have similar symptoms and exclude other conditions that can cause thrush such as diabetes. Any factor contributing to the overgrowth of Candida albicans should be identified and managed. If no contributing factors are found, a course of preventative treatment may be recommended. There is no evidence to support the treatment of male partners of women who experience thrush. Thrush outbreaks, while uncomfortable, do not cause any long-term health issues.

There is also no clear evidence that dietary changes prevent thrush, but the research is limited. This page has been produced in consultation with and approved by:.

Androgen deficiency in women and its treatment is controversial, and more research is needed. Anthrax is a rare but potentially fatal bacterial disease that occasionally infects humans.

The Western obsession with cleanliness may be partly responsible for the increase in allergic asthma and conditions such as rhinitis. Careful prescribing of antibiotics will minimise the emergence of antibiotic resistant strains of bacteria. Aspergillus is a fungus that commonly grows on rotting vegetation.