There is a form of candida (typically a vaginal infection) called esophageal candidiasis which can cause a sore throat (usually, difficulty with swallowing); the infant form of this is known as “thrush”.
Herpangina (caused by Coxsackie viruses - no jokes now) may cause a sore throat and, while “cold sores” usually involve the lips, other parts of the mouth may be affected with ulcers, conceivably causing a sore throat. Sometimes, these are associated with herpes virus (type 1 - typically oral, type 2 - typically genital), and may occur after oral contact.
Welcome to the Straight Dope Message Boards, mlewitt, we’re glad you’re here. For future ref: when you start a thread about one of Cecil’s columns, it’s helpful to other readers if you provide a link to the column in question. Saves searching time and helps keep us on the same page (sort of.) No biggie, you’ll know for next time, and, as I say, welcome!
Justin Caise’s sore throat is not an STI, as the time window between exposure and symptoms is too short.
Esophageal candidiasis is a problem of host defense and not exposure to candida. Candida is ubiquitous and becomes symptomatic only when normal host defenses break down. In infants, it’s frequently asymptomatic and is really just candidal overgrowth (again; for reasons of local host defense). Esophageal candidiasis in an adult is almost always secondary to severe host impairment, such as a marked diminution of white cells from cancer or chemotherapy (or maybe broad spectrum antibiotics killing off all the normal bacteria competing for that niche) or the like.
The opening paragraph of Cecil’s reply (Lysol?, peroxide?) reminds of a true story. Barbara Ehrenreich was giving a lecture on something, probably women’s issues and she mention that she had somehow contrived a way of examining her own vagina using a dentist’s mirror stuck up it (I have to admit that I really can’t picture what was happening). She mentioned that she had done this to her gynecologist who admonished her not to put anything into her vagina unless it was well sterilized. She paused to let this sink and then said, “Anything? … Would boiling for ten minutes be enough?”
I can’t believe I’m posting this, but…I got strep throat from oral once. Cultured positive and everything.
Of course, I’m a chick. More to the point, my partner isn’t. And he got a little overzealous and thrusted rather too hard, and it hurt like a motherfucker (actually, as I have children, *he *is a motherfucker, but I love him for it), and about 2-3 days later I had that particular ouchy icky throat that is only strep.
Doc confirmed that the thrust could have been hard enough to cause a little tear, based on the unusually extreme pain and whatever it looked like back there under his light. The strep probably came from me, not him, but since we’re all covered with the stuff, it’s possible that he gave the the strep as well as provided the tear for it to infect.
Only time I’ve ever had a doctor offer me a single penicillin injection, rather than a week of oral antibiotics. Since my throat still hurt like a motherfucker, I didn’t want to swallow pills, so I took the shot. Holy mother of god, penicillin hurts! :eek: