A passionate kiss is often leads one thing or another.Quite unexpected from the sensual feeling that comes with it,there may lay a 'catch' ;kissing although sweet,can lead to infections.In fact,there is a 'kissing disease' known as mononucleosis or mono.This is one of the prototypical sexual transmitted infection that lovers can get from some romantic interludes.Apart from mononucleosis,there are varied infections that can be spread through kissing,infections disease are spread through several means Oral transmissions refers to spread of microbes through saliva,food or drinks.
When a person accidentally consumes microbe-contaminated items such as saliva during kissing,the swallowing action of the tongue wipes the microbes against the back of the throat,allowing the microbes to enter the body.Infection such as mononucleosis are caused by Epstein-barr virus(EBV) and Cytomegalovirus(CMV),via oral transmission from virus containing saliva.
Kaposi sarcona is however caused by a Herpes virus known as Human Herpes Virus 8(HHV-8).The virus can also be transmitted through kissing.other infections microbes that spread through saliva do so by sticking to the inner surface of the cheeks and mouth,tongue or teeth.An example is the bacterium Streptococcus,which can cause an array of infections including gum disease and strep throat.
BIO TIPS
The reason why we kiss:science
Call it pecking,smooching,french-kissing or playing'tonsil-hockey',there
are many names for kissing as there are many ways to do it.Whether we
use it as informal greeting or an intensely romantic gesture,kissing is
one of those ingrained human behaviours that seem to defy explanation
It's
many purpose includes a blow-and -peck for a good luck on a
dice,lips to the ground after a sweat cracking race,kisses in the air to
an acquaintance,and the long slow smooches have different meaning yet
are similar in nature
so why is it that we love to pucker up?
kissing is involved in the three main types of attraction human have
- sex drive,which is ruled by testosterone
- romantic love,which is ruled by dopamine and other feel-good hormones
- Attachment,which involves bonding chemicals like oxytocin
Kissing,evolved to help on all three fronts
- saliva,swapped during romantic kisses has testosterone in it:
- feel-good chemicals are distributed when we kiss that help fuel romance
- kissing also help unleash chemicals that promote bonding,which provides for long-term attachment necessary for raising offspring'
It's important to remember that the surface of the respiratory tract(nose,mouth and throat)are continuous and made up of similar tissue.As a result,microbes found in the saliva can generally be found in other parts of the respiratory tract.Therefore,even colds,flues and other respiratory infections can potentially be spread through the saliva.
Cold sores are caused by the Herpes simplex Virus-1(HSV-1).In contrast to infections spread through the saliva,HSV-1 is spread through open cold sores on the lips or near the mouth,although the infection is most contagious when the sore is open and leaking fluids.Hand,foot and mouth disease caused by coxsackie virus,is another infectious disease spread through open sores in the mouth,it's common in kids,especially those in day-care or pre-school setting because it mainly spread via the faecal-oral route;a common problem in day cares,since changing of diapers goes on all day.In contrast to cold sore and coxsackie virus blisters,canker sore have no infections disease origin and cannot be spread through the saliva or kissing.
HIV and Hepatitis B virus(HBV) are blood-borne and sexual transmitted disease that have been found in the saliva,despite the presence of HIV in saliva,there have never been any report of HIV transmission via this route.However,transmission of Hepatitis B virus through saliva has been well documented as well as Hepatitis A and B.saliva has a natural cleansing role provided by its flushing activity,other anti-microbial defences in the saliva include antibodies and other anti-microbial protein like lysomes and normal mouth flora(the 'good'bacteria that prevents growth of 'bad'bacteria)
The spread of infectious microbes through the saliva can occur when natural Resistance in the mouth is reduced,for example gum infections can occur in people with vitamin C deficiencies while thrush is caused by candida II yeast infections,which is more likely to occur in people who have been taking antibiotics.People who are dehydrated have reduced salivary flow and four time more bacteria in their mouths
