Is Thrush Contagious

Is Thrush Contagious?

The short answer to this question is yes. However, although thrush can be passed from person to person it's not generally a problem.

This is because thrush is really just a name to describe an overgrowth (or population explosion) of a form of yeast called Candida. It is one of a whole host of micro organisms that can be found inhabiting the human body and they are present in the vast majority of adults. Candida can be found on the skin, in the mouth, in the digestive tract and in the genital area. Basically they live in any place that's warm and moist.

They only become a problem if their numbers suddenly start to increase. This can happen when the body environment changes because of hormone fluctuations, illness, stress, the use of antibiotics, etc. The increase in Candida levels causes the surrounding area to become inflamed and itchy. This is what thrush is.

So really the question should be is Candida contagious? And the answer is yes it is in the sense that we pass small amounts of Candida between each other as a normal everyday occurrence. Of course if you have a full blown attack of thrush then you have the potential to pass larger numbers on. However, unless the person you pass it onto is under the weather, stressed, on antibiotics, etc, they will be unaffected by the influx of Candida. The normal body ph balance and the presence of other naturally occurring micro organisms will keep the Candida in check.

There's often a particular fear about passing thrush between sexual partners. Studies have shown that although on paper it is possible in reality it doesn't seem to happen very often, if at all. Of course this may be as a result of people with a bad attack of thrush avoiding having sex because of discomfort, but it does seem to be actually quite difficult to 'pass on' an attack of thrush. However if recurring genital thrush is a problem or your partner is not particularly healthy then using a condom may be an option in trying to avoid triggering off attacks.

One area where the contagious nature of thrush can be a problem is with oral thrush in babies especially if they are breastfed. Oral thrush isn't uncommon in babies and it doesn't mean that they are unhealthy. However they can pass on their thrush when sucking on their mother's nipples while feeding if their mother is already suffering from cracked sore nipples. This can result in what is commonly called nipple thrush.

The NHS site has this to say about nipple thrush.

If you do have symptoms, or if the infection is causing problems with feeding, your GP may prescribe an antifungal cream, such as Miconazole. You should apply the cream to your nipples after every feed, and remove any that's left before you feed your baby again.

If your infection is more severe, your GP may recommend a course of antifungal tablets, such as Nystatin. For example, if the infection has gone deeper into your breasts and spread to your milk ducts.

If your GP prescribes antifungal cream or tablets for you, your baby will probably be treated at the same time, to prevent re-infection.

So yes thrush is contagious because you can pass Candida on to others but for people in normal health this isn't a problem and can be disregarded as a health threat.