Research?

Try SOP instructions from MDs to anyone prescribed antifungals for just about anything: "Don't share towels with anyone else; don't use towels used on infected areas on uninfected areas."

Also, think about why athlete's foot and jock itch have athletics references (hint: high-traffic locker rooms, public showers). And, while you're at it, check out how the old folk "superstition" that wearing a bald man's hat can make your hair fall out correlates with medical knowledge about seborrhea. Or why it's not a good idea to share shoes.

Or why prison inmates stigmatize anyone with any sort of skin condition to untouchable status, to the point where certain cultures require that such an inmate be *killed* for touching other people's bedding or eating utensils, and killed in a specific fashion at that - kicked to death, but never punched, slapped, grabbed, or otherwise touched skin-on-skin, to avoid 'contamination'. In ex-Soviet prisons, for example, anyone who has come in physical contact with such a prisoner is considered contaminated too and also exiled from the general prisoner community (sort of a deadly adult version of "you've got cooties!").

PS it's an eyesore enough that the HVwhatever person keeps spreading bold words of wisdom, questioning everyone and preaching fantasy on any topic whatsoever... much too late to retrain him (her?), I figure, but could you at least not? it really does feel like you're yelling at me! :(

PPS obviously, any contamination by pathogens resulting in disease is, in a way, caused by the immune system's response, or rather lack of a coherent or sufficient one. However, extra contamination from external sources does certainly help speed it along.

Just look at all those people who get toenail fungi from pools, locker rooms, or people that they cohabit with. The difference with skin fungi is that they are less obvious and harder to identify - a rash is just a rash to people, while weird crap on your nails is definitely 100% for sure fungus.

Btw, the only reason gut yeast "isn't" all that infectious is that we generally don't touch other people's faeces. Otherwise, given the right moment (such as a lapse in health, stress, whatever) and environment (moisture, carbs, etc), and ALL pathogenic yeasts are infectious as hell.