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I recently had sex with a woman who seems to have had a yeast infection. That's what I thought, because she had lots of white dots in her vagina and my doctor told me that this is a fungus. I've seen it for the first time, so I'm not entirely sure.

However, I gave her oral sex (no unusual smell or taste noticed) and after that I got something that seemed like a tonsillitis. I get tonsillitis all the time, that's why I'll get my tonsils removed next month.

However, this time I tried two different antibiotics, but none of them worked. Also, no painkillers, not even Tramadol helped. I had to go into the hospital and got two different intravenous antibiotics. After 3 days and another 5 days using standard antibiotics, the "tonsillitis" was cured.

That's what I was wondering... It hurt a lot. I couldn't even eat. I've never had a tonsillitis that bad and I certainly never went to the hospital because of one. Also it was noticeable that the skin of the deeper part of the throat was irritated a lot.

So this has left me curious: is it possible to get a yeast infection in the mouth from sex?

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  • As it stands, you almost have two questions here. One of them ("Is it possible to get a yeast infection from oral sex") would be on topic, however the second part "Did I have tonsillitis or..." is personal advice. I am going to close this as off topic, but if you can edit it to remove the personal aspects it can be nominated for reopening.
    – JohnP
    Commented Dec 29, 2015 at 18:39

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The yeast (fungus) that causes thrush or yeast infection in both men and women are of the genus Candida. These fungi can be found as normal flora on skin however outgrowth results in yeast infection. Candida albicans, which is most likely the strain of thrush you saw on the lady, can be transmitted by both sex and oral sex. Most likely your mucosal immune system will fight it, but there are cases of transmission especially in HIV patients (Francoise, et al., 1997). If you notice a fever, lethargy, and white irritating spots in the oral cavity, I would seek help from a health professional. The infection is easily treated.

Antibiotics will not work for fungal infection, as the mechanism of action is different from fungicide. Tonsillitis is usually caused by either a viral infection such as Herpes Simplex Virus, or a bacterial infection. Again, treatable and highly recommend seeking professional help.

Update: Tonsils are a lymphatic organ, meaning it contains specialised immune cells that work together to identify invading pathogens and clear it. Tonsillitis happens due to an inflammatory reaction towards an invading pathogen. Some people have severe inflammation resulting in partial or complete blockage of their airway, thus being potentially life threatening. In these cases, the patient is recommended to undergo tonsillectomy - the removal of their tonsil. If your tonsillitis is not life threatening (an just an inconvenience) it may not be necessary to remove it. Again I would consult with your doctor, as there may be indications for removing it and contraindications as well that are specific to your medical history [4,5].

  1. Yeast Infection (vaginal) - Mayo Clinic
  2. Oral thrus Causes -Mayo Clinic
  3. Oral transmission of Candida albicans between partners in HIV‐infected couples could contribute to dissemination of fluconazole‐resistant isolates
  4. Tonsillopharyngitis - Merck Manual
  5. Enlarged Tonsils and Adenoids - Merck Manual
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    The doctors in the hospital told me that my whatever I had had nothing to do with her yeast infection. I don't know what was in the IV bottles, but if they diagnosed a tonsillitis, they probably gave me antibiotics. Or is it just a coincidence and it really was just a bad tonsillitis?
    – user2428
    Commented Dec 26, 2015 at 0:00
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    It could be coincidence but it could also be related. Hard to tell without a swab from both parties to see what the infection was. Also could be viral. I guess the important question is are you feeling better? If not seek help. And hopefully the above explanation and references help give you an idea to what yeast infection is and how it can be transmitted. I've added extra information on what tonsils, which may clarify a few things.
    – Kenneth P. Hough
    Commented Dec 26, 2015 at 18:31
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    Yes, I feel better - it's been a month since then. The strange thing is that oral antibiotics from my doctor didn't do anything, but once they hooked me up on IV in the hospital, it got better within a few days. Maybe they gave me anti fungi medicine, I'll ask them.
    – user2428
    Commented Dec 26, 2015 at 18:33
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    Good! It could have been anti-viral, such as Acyclovir.
    – Kenneth P. Hough
    Commented Dec 26, 2015 at 18:39