Can men get BV?

Bacterial vaginosis (BV) is an imbalance of the bacteria in the vagina. The CDC calls it the most common vaginal condition in women aged 15 to 44, and the NHS says it is not classed as a sexually transmitted infection, though sex can trigger it or pass it on. Because BV is defined by what happens in the vagina, men are not diagnosed with it: asked whether men can get bacterial vaginosis, Cleveland Clinic answers with a plain no.

Carrying and passing the bacteria on is what "BV in men" usually means, and that is a different claim from having BV. The CDC's 2021 treatment guidelines note that BV-associated bacteria can be found on male genitals, and the authors of a 2025 trial in the New England Journal of Medicine describe evidence that these bacteria are exchanged between sexual partners. If a man has symptoms of his own, such as discharge from the penis, pain when peeing or sores, those are not BV and deserve their own check-up, because the NHS lists them among possible signs of an STI.

Whether male partners should be treated is where the science is moving. The CDC's page on BV, last updated in December 2023, says male sex partners of women with BV do not need treatment, and its 2021 guidelines say routine treatment of sex partners is not recommended, noting that an earlier trial found no drop in recurrence. Then, in March 2025, an Australian trial (Vodstrcil et al., NEJM) randomised 164 couples in which the woman had BV and the couple was monogamous. When the man was also treated with oral and topical antimicrobials, BV came back within 12 weeks in 35% of women (24 of 69), against 63% (43 of 68) when only the woman was treated. The trial was stopped early because treating only the woman was found to be inferior. Side effects reported in men included nausea, headache and a metallic taste. An accompanying NEJM editorial was titled "Bacterial Vaginosis — Time to Treat Male Partners."

Two cautions keep this honest. The trial enrolled monogamous couples, so it does not tell us what works for someone with several partners, which is common in the lifestyle. And public guidance does not yet speak with one voice: the CDC page still says male partners do not need treatment. If BV keeps returning for you or a partner, ask a clinician whether partner treatment makes sense. Do not self-treat, and do not use someone else's prescription.

BV can also pass between women. The CDC says BV can spread between female sex partners, and the NHS says that if your partner is a woman or has a vagina, they may also need treatment.

Practical habits help everyone. The CDC lists douching, not using condoms, and having new or multiple sex partners among the things that upset the vaginal balance, and the Office on Women's Health suggests putting a fresh condom on shared sex toys before they are used with another person. None of this is medical advice; the guide to BV and new partners covers prevention in more depth.