ABSTRACT
A 32-year-old woman sees you to discuss her battle with recurring thrush. She has been to the surgery on four separate occasions in the last 6 months complaining of creamy cottage-cheese-like discharge, vulvar itching and dyspareunia. Swabs were taken twice that confi rmed the presence of Candida species on both occasions. No other organisms were found on microscopy. On the other two occasions, she was treated empirically with topical anti-fungals. Each time, temporary relief was obtained and symptoms recurred a few weeks later. She is married and has had the same sexual partner for the last 10 years. She is on the COCP. She is concerned that she may be doing something wrong and wonders what steps she can take to stop the infection from recurring.
