As a woman, can I become infected with a urinary tract infection in a man? | How contagious is a urinary tract infection?

As a woman, can I become infected with a urinary tract infection in a man?

In this constellation, the infection is more likely to occur, since the woman with a rather short urethra of only 3 to 5 cm is more easily infected. It is possible that during sexual intercourse, for example, bacteria are transferred from the urethra outlet of the man into the vagina and continue to reach the bladder via the very short urethra of the woman. However, urinary tract infections in men are very rare and therefore the probability of becoming infected as a woman is very low.

Much more likely than the direct transfer of germs from man to woman, poor toilet and hand hygiene is also the cause of urinary tract infections in women. In women, there is also the possibility of infection by their own germs, which can reach the urethra as a smear infection from the anus during sex or washing. You can find more information about urinary tract infections here.

Can I get a urinary tract infection from a contaminated toilet?

The answer to this question is clearly yes. Especially as a woman, the probability to get infected by germs of others in public toilets is quite high. There is a low risk from the urine splashes of another patient and a much higher risk of intestinal germs like E. coli.

These germs occur quite naturally in the intestine and can trigger a urinary tract infection by spreading to the urethral opening. This carry-over can occur on the one hand via the direct route from the contaminated toilet, and on the other hand via contaminated surfaces such as door handles, fittings and displays via the hand to the urethra. As a man the possibility exists in the same way, but the probability is much lower for various reasons. The main reason is, as mentioned before, the significantly longer urethra, which makes urinary tract infections much less likely.