Causes of Yeast Infection Challenged by Study

Women may be able to blame their husbands or boyfriends for headaches, tears and stress, but contrary to popular belief, they can't blame them for common, recurrent yeast infections. According to a new U-M study, certain sexual activities are the real culprits.

Barbara Reed Photo: Gregory Fox

"Many physicians, and many women, believe that women get recurrent yeast infections because their partner passes the yeast back to them during intercourse," says Barbara Reed, M.D., a professor of family medicine in the U-M Medical School. "Our study refutes that belief."

The study, which was published in the December 2003 issue of Journal of Women's Health, involved 148 women with confirmed Candida vulvovaginitis and 78 of their male sexual partners. U-M researchers found many factors were unrelated to recurrent infection. These included the presence of Candida bacteria in either the man or woman, number of sexual partners, frequency of intercourse and the woman's age at first intercourse. Receiving oral sex was the most common factor associated with recurrent infection. Research suggests that Candida exists in some women in balance with other organisms and immune components in the vaginal area, and that saliva may disrupt the balance, leading to symptoms of yeast infection.

The study was funded by the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases. Other U-M researchers included Philip Zazove, M.D., clinical professor of family medicine; Daniel W. Gorenflo, Ph.D., research investigator in family medicine; and Carl L. Pierson (Ph.D. 1972), assistant professor of microbiology in pathology.

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Read the expanded version of the story:
www.med.umich.edu/opm/newspage/2003/yeastinfections.htm

For patient information on yeast infections:
www.med.umich.edu/1libr/aha/aha_candidia_crs.htm