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Is the urine infection contagious?

by Alivia Nyhan
Published: Last Updated on

Urine infection or urinary tract infection is the most common infection, usually among females. Urine is the fluid resulting from the filtration of blood by the kidneys, through which we remove waste from the bloodstream.

However, sometimes bacteria or viruses can enter the urinary tract and increase within the urine, multiplying and causing urine infection. Being a sensitive area, many people -especially women- wonder if the urine infection sticks, either from sexual intercourse or any other contact. If you wonder if the urine infection is contagious in the following FastlyHealarticle, we will answer it.

Contamination of urine infection?

Most urinary tract infections are caused by Escherichia coli, a bacteria that lives in the intestine and somehow attaches to the urinary tract, causing the infection. If you wonder if the urine infection can be spread, the answer is clear: No, it is neither extended nor sexually nor any other way.

However, some women can get a urine infection after intercourse, so this condition is popularly known as honeymoon syndrome. But this fact does not have to do with the act itself but with some bad practices related to sexual activity:

  • During the sexual act, the urethra is squeezed, and its contents can go to the bladder. With it, the bacteria that live there can also reach the bladder.
  • The E.coli bacteria inhabit the digestive tract, anal sex before vaginal sex can pass the bacteria into the urinary tract.
  • Something similar occurs when the penis is inserted into the vagina when bacteria can be drawn from the anus into the vagina.
  • The diaphragm, spermicides, and condoms with spermicide can be factors that promote urinary infection.

Causes of urine infection

Although bacteria cause most infections, they can also be caused by other pathogens such as fungi. Below we will explain what the leading causes that can cause urinary tract infections are:

Physical causes

There are different physical causes, either by the person’s anatomy or by some underlying disease, that can facilitate the development of urinary infections. The most common are malformations of the urinary tract, kidney stones, weak immune systems, constant use of a urinary catheter, or tumors in the urinary tract.

The fact that women develop urine infections more frequently than men is also due to a physical factor, and that is that, unlike men, the vagina presents a more open and more straightforward entry point for bacteria, something essential given its closeness to the anus.

Men, for their part, tend to suffer from it more frequently from the age of 60. The prostatic hyperplasia, enlarged prostate caused by age, difficulty bladder emptying, facilitating urinary retention, and the appearance of infections.

Bad habits

  • Too frequent cleaning of intimate areas with soaps breaks the skin’s natural barrier.
  • In women, cleanse from back to front, favoring the transfer of bacteria from the anus to the vagina.
  • I held back the urge to urinate or not urinate after having sex.
  • I was not drinking enough fluids, reducing the amount of urine.

Prevention measures against urine infection

Here we explain the prevention measures that you can take into account to avoid suffering a urinary infection are:

  • When you go to the bathroom, empty your bladder.
  • When you clean your anus, do it from front to back.
  • Drink enough fluids.
  • Dry yourself well after showering, and when you do sports, do not spend a lot of time in a wet swimsuit. Avoid that the pelvic area is constantly wet.
  • Maintain adequate intimate hygiene.
  • Spermicides promote bacterial growth.
  • Maintain good hygiene. And make sure your partner maintains it before having sex.

These tips will significantly prevent microbial growth in the urinary tract and thus help prevent cystitis.

This article is merely informative. At FastlyHeal .com, we do not have the power to prescribe medical treatments or make any diagnosis. We invite you to see a doctor if you present any condition or discomfort.

If you want to read more articles similar to Is urine infection contagious? We recommend that you enter our category of Kidneys and urinary system.

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