Is a yeast infection an STI?
Last updated September 3, 2026.
No - the Office on Women's Health is direct: it is not considered an STI because you can get one without having sex. The cause is internal: Candida overgrowing when antibiotics, pregnancy, or uncontrolled diabetes shift the environment. The one nuance: partner transmission is possible, but it is the exception, and routine cases do not require treating a partner. The practical trap is the look-alike problem - yeast symptoms overlap with real STIs, so first, recurrent, or treatment-resistant symptoms deserve testing, not another tube of cream.
What to do
- Test the first time. Confirm it is yeast before self-treating - mimics include STIs.
- Finish the treatment. Full course of cream or oral dose, symptoms or not.
- Review the triggers. Recent antibiotics, pregnancy, and blood sugar are the usual drivers.
- Work up the repeats. Four or more a year gets a doctor's investigation, not another tube.
Related questions
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