Thrush is a term that is widely used to describe a range of infections caused by a type of fungus called Candida albicans. The medical term for thrush is candidiasis. Although thrush is usually associated with women, thrush infections are relatively common in men as well.
Candida albicans
Candida albicans occurs naturally in the body, particularly in warm, moist areas, such as the mouth and genitals. It does not usually cause any problems because it is kept under control by the immune system (the body’s natural defence against illness and infection) and other types of bacteria in the body. However, there are factors that can cause the fungus to multiply (grow) and lead to infection.
Types of male thrush
The most common types of thrush in men are:
- infection of the head (glans) of the penis – known as candida balanitis
- infection of the inside the mouth – known as oral thrush
- a general skin infection – known as a candidal skin infection
A less common, but much more serious, type of thrush occurs when the Candida albicans fungi pass into the bloodstream and start to spread throughout the body. This is known as invasive candidiasis.
People with a weakened immune system, either as a result of conditions such as HIV, or as a side effect of a treatment such as chemotherapy, are most at risk of developing invasive candidiasis. See Male thrush - complications for more information about invasive candidiasis.
The rest of this article will focus on the fungal infection of the skin and glans of the penis.
See the Health A-Z topics about Fungal nail infections, Oral thrush - adults, Oral thrush - babies for information about these types of fungal infections.
How common is male thrush?
Thrush is a very common type of condition, particularly candida balanitis. It is estimated that 1 in 10 men who visit a sexual health clinic have balanitis.
Skin infections are less common in the general population, but are relatively widespread among certain groups of people such as:
- those with a weakened immune system
- those who are obese, as they often have large rolls of skin (an environment where fungi can often thrive)
- people who have type 1 diabetes or type 2 diabetes – this is because the high levels of glucose that are associated with diabetes can encourage fungus to breed; also, people with diabetes tend to sweat more, which also encourages the fungus
Outlook
In otherwise healthy men, the outlook for most cases of thrush is good. Most cases respond well to anti-fungal creams and ointments (topical anti-fungals), many of which are available at the pharmacist over the counter (i.e. you do not need a prescription).
People with a weak immune system may require closer medical supervision because there is a risk that a relatively minor thrush infection could progress to a more serious case of invasive candidiasis. If this occurs, the person will need to be admitted to hospital.
