Beware of Kissing Diseases Doctor's Warn

Medical researchers and experts have warned lovers to beware, because kissing is a source of several diseases and infections, such as hepatitis B, infectious mononucleosis or kissing disease, gum diseases, strep throat, infectious diseases from mouth sores,hand, foot, and mouth disease, HIV and meningococcal diseases.

World Health Organisation, WHO , identifies Hepatitis viruses’ infection to be a major disease burden worldwide. 

The worldwide estimate based on weighted average for regions rather than individual because of lack of data with prevalence in industrialised countries revealed that Hepatitis C virus (HCV) type accounts for 20% of cases of acute hepatitis, 70% of cases of chronic hepatitis, 40% of cases of end stage cirrhosis, 60% of cases of  hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC), and 30% of  liver transplants. An estimated 27% of cirrhosis and 25% of  hepatocellular carcinoma worldwide occur in HCV-infected people.

According Dr. Olufunmilayo Lesi, a consultant physician and gastroenterologist at Lagos University Teaching Hospital (LUTH), Nigeria belongs to the group of countries highly endemic for this viral hepatitis. Its prevalence is about 10-20 per cent in Nigeria from the extrapolation of 90 million Nigerians.

Dr. Lesi described hepatitis as a condition that involves the inflammation or swelling of the liver. A disease condition that can be caused by viral infections A-E, bacteria, drugs, alcohol, certain medications, chemicals, bacteria, poisons, toxins, or by other diseases and ‘through kissing.’

“It is a disease condition that spreads like a plague and cracks the largest organ in the body like an earthquake, with long term asymptomatic damage to the liver if the infection is in a chronic stage. The long term damage to the liver restrains the liver from performing its numerous functions,”she said.



 She added that having multiple sex partners and engaging in a deep kiss with an infected person who has an ulcer or sores in the gum, mouth or on the tongue is a risk factor of its transmission of hepatitis B.

“It is also transmitted mainly by contact with blood or blood products or body fluid, sharing of contaminated needles, blade, sharing of toothbrushes, nail clippers, pedicure and manicure tools and sexual intercourse with an infected person.”

She pointed out that in Nigeria the commonest cause are the viruses. The highest prevalence of these viral infections is viral B.

The treasurer of Society for Gastroenterology and Hepatology in Nigeria (SOGHIN), Dr. Edith Okeke also affirmed that 19 million Nigerians are infected with hepatitis.

In chronic hepatitis B, there is manifestation of symptoms like prolonged vomiting, nausea, fatigue or weakness, confusion or difficulty concentrating, headache, not urinating, irritability, accumulation of fluid in the abdomen and legs, stomach hardness, weight loss and cirrhosis among others.

A condition in which healthy liver tissue is replaced by fibrous tissue, followed by scar-like hardening. As this happens, the liver gradually begins to fail, or lose its ability to carry out its normal functions

Dr. Oladipupo Hammed, a consultant physician and gastroenterologist at Subol Hospital, said that asymptomic period of chronic hepatitis B may just be fever and body. The situation continues for about 15, 20 and 30 years before manifestation of the symptoms.

Dr. Hammed regretted the pains of patients having to be on drugs throughout life but solicited for early screening, test, vaccination and treatment if one tested positive to the viruses.

Researchers have also identified infectious mononucleosis or kissing disease caused by Epstein-Barr virus (EBV) or cytomegalovirus (CMV). This is a  disease condition that can be transferred when contact is made with the saliva of the infected person through kissing. Symptoms of infectious mononucleosis include fever, swollen lymph nodes, sore throat and extreme fatigue that may last six weeks or longer. Treatment consists of comfort measures for fever and pain. Since the cause is viral, antibiotics are not effective against the disease.

Other infectious microbes that can be spread through saliva are gum diseases and strep throat. It is a  disease condition caused by bacterium Streptococcus, that can cause severe and even life-threatening diseases. If left untreated it may cause heart and kidney problems. The symptoms of strep throat include fever, sore throat and swollen and often tender lymph nodes in the neck, headache, and stomach upset .

Also infectious diseases from the mouth sore, such as cold sores that spread through open cold sores on the lips or near the mouth, have been mentioned by experts to be transferable through mouth contact and kissing.

Source: PM News

This means no Kissing for all unmarried couple! You like? ;-)