Are urinary tract infections contagious?
Are urinary tract infections contagious?
No urinary tract infections are not contagious. You cannot “catch” a urinary tract infection from another person. A contagious disease is one which can easily spread from one person to another. Urinary tract infections cannot spread from one person to another.
What are contagious diseases?
Contagious diseases are diseases which can easily spread from one person to another by means of body secretions (i.e sputum, saliva, sperm, etc.).
Bacteria cause contagious diseases, and when these bacteria are passed from the affected individual to a healthy individual through acts such as sneezing, coughing, or sexual intercourse, the healthy individual becomes infected and develops the disease.
A urinary tract infection cannot be transmitted from one person to another, and hence are not contagious.
Some STD’s mimic urinary tract infections
It is important to remember that certain STD’s cause symptoms which resemble those symptoms which are caused by urinary tract infections. Hence, some people mistakenly believe that they have contracted a urinary tract infection from their partner, although in reality they have acquired a sexually transmitted disease.
If you think you have acquired a urinary tract infection from someone, than that is not the case. Urinary tract infections are not contagious. You have most likely contracted a sexually transmitted disease which causes symptoms similar to those caused by a urinary tract infection.
Reference(s):
- Urinary tract infections (UTI): a guide for teens, Center for Young Women’s Health, 2005, retrieved 31 March 2008.
- Urinary tract infections (UTI), Milton Hershey Medical Center College of Medicine, 2008, retrieved 31 March 2008.
- Bernarr, Contagious diseases, Living Tree Community, 2008, retrieved 31 March 2008.
- Figueroa ET, Urinary tract infections, Teen Health, 2006, retrieved 31 March 2008.