How do you get thrush: is it transmitted from woman to man and vice versa through sexual contact?

The diversity of pathogenic microflora in the human body includes tens of thousands of varieties of viruses, bacteria and other microorganisms. All of them are controlled by the immune system. But when functional failures occur, pathologies or diseases of internal organs develop, populations of disease-causing pathogens begin to grow rapidly, leading to the appearance of pronounced signs and symptoms. These problems also include fungal infections, the most prominent and common representative of which is candidiasis. Everyone should know what thrush is and how it spreads from person to person.

Symptoms of thrush

In order to diagnose candidiasis, it is not necessary to see a doctor. It is possible to identify this disease even at home, because it has a number of characteristic signs that unmistakably indicate its development.

First of all, it is necessary to mention the following:

The appearance of white cheesy discharge in women (usually after sleep). They have an extremely unpleasant sour smell. It is important to remember that the more advanced the form of candidiasis, the worse the discharge smells;
Swelling and redness of the labia. Observed in chronic forms of thrush;
Itching in the vagina, which during menstruation can turn into a very strong burning sensation;
Redness of the male foreskin and the appearance of small, painful cracks on it. Sometimes a whitish coating may form on the penis, which over time turns into a fairly thick crust (the same symptoms can also be observed in women when the skin is infected with a fungus);
Painful sensations during urination and sexual intercourse in representatives of both sexes.

Is thrush contagious?

For a long time, candidiasis was considered a purely female disease. Naturally, this stereotype has contributed to the fact that the majority of ordinary people, even today, consider this disease to be non-contagious. They do this absolutely in vain - in medical practice, cases of infection by the wife of a husband or the mother of a child have been repeatedly recorded.

Thrush is contagious and this is an indisputable fact. It is provoked by a fungus of the Candida species, which lives in almost every human body, but only in the vagina are all the conditions met for its rapid maturation, development and further reproduction. This makes women a kind of carrier of the infection, which all other family members may encounter in the future.

There are many ways you can get thrush. We will consider the most common of them in the next section.

The main ways of contracting thrush

Science knows several ways to become infected with candidiasis. In most cases this happens:

During pregnancy. In this situation, the fungus can be transmitted from mother to child (we will talk about this route of transmission of thrush in more detail below);
At home. Like any other fungus, the microorganisms that cause thrush can be found on almost every surface in the house. In order to become infected, a small contact of the corresponding part of the human body with the habitat of the fungus will be sufficient;
During sexual intercourse. Since Candida fungi mainly parasitize the mucous membranes, it is not surprising that thrush infection is possible during sex.

However, there is another way in which thrush is transmitted. This is the so-called self-infection. Not a single woman is immune from it, and under favorable conditions for its development, the fungus will quickly make itself felt.

Methods of infection

Many people believe that thrush is transmitted sexually and nothing else. This is one of the most dangerous misconceptions about this disease. It costs nothing to become infected with it through everyday life at home, at work, at school or in any public place, for example, in the gym or in a massage parlour.

Firstly, being a carrier of thrush, a person does not even suspect it, because the infection can be in “sleeping” mode until it finds itself in more favorable conditions. Thus, in a couple, a woman can infect a man without knowing it, and vice versa. Secondly, the Candida fungus is able to survive outside the human body, and therefore is quickly transmitted.

For example, a woman can become infected with candidiasis by using other people's bath products, without checking the cleanliness of public bathrooms before sitting down, and sharing lip cosmetics with someone else.

Autoinfection

Self-infection with thrush occurs due to a certain number of reasons. You can see them in the table below.

Causes of self-infection	Key points that contribute to self-infection
Failure to comply with intimate hygiene rules	Ignoring regular change of pads and tampons during menstruation; superficial washing; the use of products that contain a large number of various flavorings
Various diseases	Self-infection with thrush can be caused by diseases that significantly reduce the immunity of the human body. Thus, the high-risk group includes women with tuberculosis, diabetes, etc.
Bad habits	Drugs, alcoholic beverages, and tobacco products cause enormous harm to the body and reduce its resistance to disease, which leads to an increase in the possibility of getting candidiasis.
Wearing low-quality synthetic underwear	Synthetics do not allow the body to “breathe” and, thus, create ideal conditions for the growth of fungus in the genital area. That is why all leading gynecologists advise girls to wear underwear made from natural materials.
Swimming in polluted waters in summer	High air temperatures and water create simply excellent conditions for the development of almost all types of fungi, including those belonging to the Candida group.
Heavy physical activity and psychological stress	Constant tension takes a lot of strength from the body and weakens it, which creates favorable conditions for the development of various infections.

Infection with candidiasis in an infant

Unfortunately, a person is at risk of infection from the fungus from the moment he is born. Candidiasis in this case is no exception - it can affect the mucous membranes of a child already in the first days of his life.

There are several ways in which thrush is transmitted from mother to child. This may happen:

Even while carrying a child in the mother's womb. The infection spreads further through the vagina and eventually reaches the outer membrane of the umbilical cord. Subsequently, as a result of the interchange of substances between the mother’s body and the fetus, the disease is transmitted to the latter;
Directly during childbirth. The baby's body comes into contact with the affected areas of the mother's vagina. The likelihood of such an infection is extremely high, so before giving birth it is imperative to get rid of thrush;
When breastfeeding a baby. Candidiasis sometimes parasitizes a woman’s nipples, so if she comes into contact with them, the baby can become infected with thrush. In this case, the mucous membrane of the child’s oral cavity will be affected. This will be indicated by the appearance of a characteristic whitish coating on it and some redness in the area of the baby’s lips.

Candidiasis and children

Caring parents, of course, are concerned about whether it is possible to infect a child with thrush. Unfortunately, this is possible. Children are very susceptible to infectious diseases. They can receive a diagnosis of candidiasis after infection during childbirth, when communicating with relatives, or in a children's group. The following main risk factors can be identified:

thrush in women, ignored before and during pregnancy;
violation of sanitary and hygienic standards by medical staff;
communication with relatives who are carriers of thrush;
congenital or acquired diseases of the immune and endocrine systems;
untimely change of diapers, underwear, exchange of stale bed linen between children;
close communication in children's groups where there may be a thrush carrier.

If a child is diagnosed with chronic pathologies that reduce resistance to infections, doctors recommend reducing the number of contacts with third parties and adhering to stricter personal hygiene rules. Of course, the child develops normal tolerance to the microflora of the parents, but any guests must wash their hands and kiss and hug other people’s children as little as possible. No matter how much I would like to doubt whether candidiasis is transmitted this way, it is true. Thrush is actually transmitted through kissing.

Is thrush transmitted sexually?

Despite the fact that candidiasis is not included in the group of sexually transmitted diseases, almost half of infections occur during intimate intimacy. Thrush is transmitted sexually from a carrier to a healthy partner, so in the vast majority of cases, a woman becomes infected with a man.

During sexual contact, the mucous membranes of the genital organs of the partners come into close interaction with each other, which leads to the transfer of pathogenic microorganisms. For those who are concerned about the question of whether it is possible to infect a man with thrush during oral or anal sex, we hasten to answer - yes, this is possible, but only if candidiasis has affected the mucous membrane of the girl’s mouth or intestines.

So that in the future you do not have to look for information about whether thrush is transmitted through sexual contact to a man from a woman, it is recommended to use condoms during intercourse with your sexual partner. Note that the so-called “barrier” contraceptives, unlike suppositories and birth control pills, do not provoke the development of the disease (chemical contraceptives can significantly change the body’s hormonal levels and lower immunity, thereby creating favorable conditions for the growth of the fungus).

When the first symptoms of candidiasis appear, both partners should immediately consult a qualified doctor and then begin treatment immediately. During this time, it would be better to avoid intimacy, since frequent sexual intercourse can lead to relapses of the disease and increase the recovery period.

Principles of treatment

When you detect the first signs of the presence of pathogenic microflora in the body, on the skin or mucous membranes, it is important to begin treatment as quickly as possible. A preventive examination will help identify a latent form of the disease, in which there are no symptoms, but can be harmful to human health.

Does my partner need to undergo treatment for thrush if he does not have the slightest signs or laboratory tests do not reveal the disease? If an infection that can be transmitted through sexual intercourse is detected, then joint treatment becomes mandatory, no matter what the test results of the second participant appear to be. A healthy sexual relationship between two partners is a guarantee of the health of both.

If a woman is sick with urogenital candidiasis, then she infects her man and he becomes a carrier, passing the infection to his partner after each intercourse. Unilateral treatment will not work in this case. During the course of treatment, physical intimacy is prohibited to avoid re-infection.

Is thrush transmitted from woman to man through household means?

The Candida fungus boasts extreme vitality - it tolerates extreme temperatures well and remains active even after a fairly long stay outside the human body. However, can a man become infected with thrush at home? Easily!

Basically, this happens:

Through the use of common objects. These include washcloths, towels and other bathroom accessories;
When visiting swimming pools and open water bodies. For infection, it will be enough for an infected person to swim nearby;
Since candidiasis can affect the mucous membranes of almost all organs of the human body, it can be transmitted during oral sex, which has recently become increasingly popular among couples in love. If the oral cavity is infected, then infection in this case can hardly be avoided.

We also hasten to answer the question of whether thrush is transmitted to men through self-infection. Since there are no organs in the male body that would provide ideal conditions for the maturation and development of the fungus, this is practically impossible.

This is also evidenced by the results of various studies, which claim that a man can get candidiasis only after intimate intimacy or contact with the contaminated surface of individual objects.

Features of the manifestation of candidiasis

How many days after infection does thrush appear? There is no exact answer to the question, since everything depends on the patient’s gender, his age, the state of the immune system, and other factors that influence the duration of the incubation period.

In adults, the pathology often affects the mucous membrane of the genital organs, and somewhat less frequently, the mucous membrane of the oral cavity or the skin. In childhood, it develops in the mouth, skin, and genitals. It is observed even in newborns who become infected while passing through the birth canal from the mother.

How quickly thrush appears depends on the accompanying favorable factors for the development of the fungus. The time it takes for thrush to appear after infection:

Men. The minimum time is 72 hours, the maximum time is one month;
Women. Minimum time – 1-5 days, maximum period – 2-3 weeks;
Children - at least every other day, maximum after one week.

Thrush in men and women after infection may not manifest itself for a long period of time. Fungi are in a “dormant” state and do not lead to the development of a pathological process.

A person can be a carrier of a pathology for a long time, which does not manifest itself with negative symptoms. And minor signs such as discomfort during urination, discomfort during sex, etc., are attributed to other diseases.

For your information, in severe cases, thrush affects not only the mucous membranes of the mouth and genitals, but also spreads to the internal organs.

It is impossible to say exactly how long it takes for thrush to appear. The incubation period consists of four stages:

The fungus attaches to the mucous membranes, provided that there are favorable conditions - chronic pathologies, decreased immune status, etc.
Reproduction of pathogenic fungi.
Penetration of the fungus into the circulatory system and soft tissues.
The appearance of specific symptoms.

Candidiasis refers to those pathologies that do not depend on the sexual activity of people. Most often, in this case, the cause is hormonal imbalance, antibiotic therapy for a long time, and disruption of the gastrointestinal tract.

Can a man infect a woman with thrush?

After we have dealt with the fact that representatives of the stronger sex can be infected with candidiasis by their sexual partner, we propose to consider another question that worries women, namely, is it possible to get thrush from a man? It occurs quite often and immediately brings to mind thoughts of adultery. It is immediately worth noting that such cases are not uncommon in medical practice, however, each of them is individual and requires separate consideration.

As we have already said, candidiasis is transmitted not only sexually, but also through everyday contact, so it is quite possible that your chosen one was not infected by a woman. The symptoms of such an infection are standard, so it would be premature to accuse a man of treason.

But if for some reason you have not had intimacy with your sexual partner for a long time, then there is already a reason to think about your lover’s fidelity. The fact is that thrush develops quite quickly, which is confirmed by the appearance of the first symptoms already 4-5 days after infection.

If you are not a supporter of oral sex, then you should be wary if thrush affects the mucous membrane of your partner’s mouth. It almost always happens when the mouth comes into contact with infected areas of another person’s body.

How can I help myself get rid of it?

If you have a candida overgrowth, don't worry—it's relatively easy to treat. The yeast is usually treated with a course of antifungal medicine.

There are quite a few prescription medications to kill vaginal yeast infections, such as creams or suppositories, as well as home remedies including yogurt and garlic, apple cider vinegar, or sour suppositories that you can use to treat your body.

You can also see your doctor for a prescription for an antibiotic. If you are one of the people who gets recurring yeast infections, you can try taking probiotics, which are pill forms of healthy bacteria.

The balance is aligned and you are ready to continue your healthy life! Or you can just eat a ton of unsweetened yogurt, since these healthy bacteria are present there in significant numbers.

The human body is not a single whole, in fact, many living beings are all interconnected with each other, in a delicate balance, ready to cooperate and expel faulty deficiencies from the body at any time. Fungal discharge is one example of the body feeling unbalanced.

A few simple tips to reduce the risk of infection

Limit the number of sexual partners (the fewer partners, the lower the risk of infection).
Avoid vaginal irrigation as this may have the effect of destroying the natural bacterial flora.
Do not use intimate deodorants or scented sanitary pads.
Use a small amount of gels specifically designed for this purpose, pH 5.5, at a pH close to the vaginal environment to protect against inflammation.
Wash and dry your intimate parts thoroughly (twice a day) after bathing.
Take care of hygiene in intimate places.
Do not use sponges or scouring pads. Pathogenic fungi develop on their surface.
Do not use soap intended for washing your hands or the entire body.
Avoid long baths.
If you get an infection, do not self-medicate, use the advice of your gynecologist.

Keeping yourself balanced is important for your personal health, but since candida can be passed on while you keep yourself healthy, it's equally important to keep your partner healthy.