Can You Catch Hepatitis From Kissing

Does The Type Of Kiss Matter

Nope. Full-on tongue action, a peck on the cheek, and every other kind of kiss in between can spread herpes.

There isnt any research showing that one type of kiss is riskier than another when it comes to oral herpes risk. That said, theres evidence that the risk of some sexually transmitted infections goes up with open-mouthed kissing.

Remember that kissing isnt restricted to the face either making oral-to-genital contact can transmit HSV, too.

The risk of transmission is higher when there are visible sores or blisters, but you or your partner can still contract herpes oral or genital if symptoms arent present.

Once you contract herpes simplex, its in the body for life.

Not everyone experiences an outbreak, but everyone with the virus experiences periods of asymptomatic shedding. This is why herpes can be spread even when there are no visible symptoms.

Its impossible to predict when shedding will occur or how contagious you or your partners condition will be. Everyone is different.

You shouldnt, especially during an outbreak.

You can contract herpes from sharing any objects that have made contact with the saliva of a person who carries the virus.

That said, HSV cant live very long off of the skin, so the risk of contracting it from inanimate objects is very low.

Still, the best way to minimize your risk is to use your own lipstick, fork, or whatever else.

For starters, avoid direct skin-to-skin contact during an outbreak.

of transmission.

What Is The Treatment For Hepatitis

Each type of hepatitis is treated differently.

Hepatitis A often goes away on its own and home treatment is all that is needed to help the liver recover, such as:

• Avoiding alcohol
• Avoiding certain medicines that can be harmful to the liver

Hepatitis B often goes away on its own in about 6 months, and can also be treated at home with the above remedies. Other treatments for hepatitis B include:

• Antiviral medications
• Liver transplant in severe cases

Treatment for hepatitis C is effective on certain forms of the hepatitis C virus. The choice of medications depends on the type of hepatitis C you have, whether you have been treated for the illness before, how much liver damage has occurred, any other underlying medical issues, and other medicines you take. Treatment for hepatitis C usually involves 8 to 12 weeks of oral antiviral medications, such as:

• Elbasvir-grazoprevir

A Closer Look At Hepatitis Transmission

Here’s a more detailed look at how different types of hepatitis are transmitted:

• Hepatitis A is transmitted by contaminated food and water and is thus fecal-oral.
• Hepatitis B is transmitted by blood, needles, and sex. Hepatitis B can also be passed along during delivery from a mother to her newborn.
• Hepatitis C is transmitted by needles and blood.
• Hepatitis E is transmitted by means of contaminated water. Like hepatitis A, hepatitis E is fecal-oral.

Like B and C, type D transmits to a person who already has hepatitis B and spreads by blood, needles, and sex. Hepatitis D can transmit during delivery from a mother to her newborn, but this is rare.

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Prevention Of Infection While Kissing

There are a number of things you can do to reduce the risk of passing on, or catching, an infection while kissing. You should try to:

• Avoid kissing when you or the other person is sick.
• Avoid kissing anyone on the lips when you, or they, have an active cold sore, warts or ulcers around the lips or in the mouth.
• Maintain good oral hygiene.
• Cough and sneeze into a hanky if you have a cold.
• See your doctor about immunisations. Vaccines are available to prevent some infectious diseases, such as chickenpox, hepatitis B and group C meningococcal infection.

Your Sexual Health And Hepatitis B

Can I Kiss My Partner?

Yes! Spreading hepatitis B through kissing is highly unlikely, however, deep kissing that involves the exchange of large amounts of saliva might result in infection if there are cuts or abrasions in the mouth of the infected person, especially if they have a high viral load.

Does Type of Sexual Activity Matter?

Who Should be Vaccinated for Hepatitis B?

The great news is that there is a safe and effective vaccine for hepatitis B and is recommended for sexually active adults. Once vaccinated, a person should be protected from developing a hepatitis B infection even if they are exposed through sexual contact! Adults who especially should get the vaccine include:

• People with multiple sexual partners
• Anyone who has been diagnosed with a sexually transmitted disease
• Men who have sexual encounters with other men
• Sexual partners or close household contacts of someone living with hepatitis B

For adults, the vaccine is usually given as a series of 3 shots over a period of 6 months. In the U.S., there is also a 2-dose vaccine available that is given over 1 month. Whichever brand of vaccine you take, the entire series of shots is needed for long-term protection. If you are unaware of your hepatitis B status, ask your healthcare provider to get tested! More information on the simple hepatitis B testing can be found here!

Additional Prevention Methods

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Infectious Diseases That Spread Through Saliva

If you’ve ever heard of “mono,” then you know of at least one “kissing disease.” Mononucleosis is probably one of the most well-known infectious diseases among adolescents. While many people know that they can acquire a sexually transmitted disease from intercourse, there are also many infections that can be spread through mere kissing alone.

Bacteria That Can Be Transmitted By Kissing

Examples of bacteria that can be transmitted during kissing include:

• Meningococcal disease this is a potentially life-threatening condition which includes meningitis, inflammation of the membranes that surround the brain and spinal cord, and septicaemia. These bacteria can be spread either through direct contact or via droplets. Studies show that, with respect to kissing, only deep kissing seems to be a risk factor.
• Tooth decay the bacteria that cause tooth decay arent found in the mouths of newborn babies. A babys mouth must be colonised with infected saliva, which can be passed by a kiss on the lips.

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What Is The Treatment For Hepatitis B

Prevention is recommended by receiving a vaccine for HBV.

Receiving an injection of the hepatitis B immune globulin within 12 hours of coming in contact with the virus may help prevent the development of the disease.

At present, there is no specific treatment for patients with acute hepatitis B. Acute infection is usually short and will often resolve on its own. Your health care provider may recommend rest, and adequate nutrition and fluids to help your body fight the infection. Hospitalization may be required for patients who suffer from severe vomiting and who are unable to maintain adequate nutritional levels. It may also be required to prevent the development of complications.

While chronic infection cannot be cured, there are two standard treatments in Canada that may control the virus and prevent further damage to the liver.

• Antiviral medications can fight the virus and slow damage to the liver.
• Interferon which may be given for short periods and if effective, results in suppression of the virus.

How Do You Know If You Have Hepatitis B

Signs and symptoms can vary, in particular by the age of the individual. Many individuals may not show symptoms . When symptoms develop, they include fever, joint pain, abdominal pain, fatigue, lack of appetite, nausea, vomiting, dark urine, clay-coloured bowel movements, or jaundice.

Most infections are asymptomatic or mild. Occasionally, people with serious cases of hepatitis B require hospitalization. A very small proportion of these patients develop a critical form of the disease called “fulminant” hepatitis B. This condition results from a sudden breakdown of liver function.

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Can I Get Infected Again

Yes. When you have chickenpox or measles, your body builds immunity. If you’re exposed to these viruses in the future, your immune system knows how to fight them off. Hepatitis C is different. If you have contact with the virus again, for example if you share needles when injecting illicit drugs, you can get re-infected. Then you’ll have to start treatment all over again.

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How Is It Treated

Prescription and over-the-counter medications, home remedies, and lifestyle changes are used to treat the symptoms of HSV. The type of HSV you have will determine which treatments you should use.

The goal of treatment is to prevent or shorten the duration of breakouts and reduce the risk of transmission.

Antiviral medications, such as valacyclovir and acyclovir , help reduce the severity and frequency of oral and genital herpes symptoms.

Your provider may prescribe a daily suppressive medication if you experience severe or frequent outbreaks.

OTC pain medication can help relieve pain from oral and genital herpes, and there are several topical OTC treatments available for cold sores.

Here are some other things you can do to help ease symptoms:

• Soak in a sitz bath if you have painful genital sores.
• Apply a cold compress to a painful cold sore.
• Minimize outbreak triggers, including stress and too much sun.
• Boost your immune system with a healthy diet and regular exercise to help prevent outbreaks.

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Kissing And Risk Of Hepatitis: Should You Be Worried

Angela Underwood’s extensive local, state, and federal healthcare and environmental news coverage includes 911 first-responder compensation policy to the Ciba-Geigy water contamination case in Toms River, NJ. Her additional health-related coverage includes death and dying, skin care, and autism spectrum disorder.

It’s been said that when you kiss someone, you kiss everyone that person has kissed before. I’ll leave it to doctors to debate the truth of that claim, but a point worth noting is that sometimes kissing can be very intimate and, unfortunately, an opportunity to spread infection. Is viral hepatitis one of those infections?

Hepatitis B May Be Contracted Through Deep Kissing Expert

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Dr Modupe Ajibawo is a locum consultant family physician at the Federal Medical Centre, Ebute Meta, Lagos. She tells ALEXANDER OKERE about hepatitis, its management and treatment

What is hepatitis?

Hepatitis means inflammation or swelling of the liver. This impairs the functions of the liver and, in turn, affects the well-being of the affected individual. The liver is a very important organ occupying the right upper part of the abdomen. It produces important proteins that maintain pressure in the blood and help transport fats, hormones and drugs around the body. It also produces factors responsible for blood clotting. It filters the blood and helps in the breakdown of drugs, toxins, bacteria and other wastes and their removal from the body. The liver produces bile that helps digestion.

What are the general causes of hepatitis?

Many things can cause injury to the liver, leading to inflammation. Hepatitis viruses are the most common causes of hepatitis in the world. Other viral causes of hepatitis include Epstein-Barr virus and yellow fever virus. Hepatitis can also be caused by non-viral infections like toxoplasma, certain drugs, alcohol, poisons like aflatoxins and other medical conditions. Aflatoxins are a group of poisons produced by certain fungi found on agricultural produce, like groundnuts and grain that have been stored improperly.

What are the different types of hepatitis and their major causes?

How are they transmitted?

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Tips For Preventing Transmission Through Sex

If youre sexually active with a person who has hepatitis C, there are ways that you can prevent contracting the virus. Likewise, if you have the virus, you can avoid transmitting it to others.

A few steps you can take to reduce the likelihood of sexual transmission include:

• using a condom during all sexual contact, including oral sex
• learning to use all barrier devices correctly to prevent ripping or tearing during intercourse
• resisting engaging in sexual contact when either partner has an open cut or wound on their genitals
• being tested for STIs and asking sexual partners to be tested too
• practicing sexual monogamy
• using extra precautions if youre HIV-positive, as your chance of contracting HCV is much higher if you have HIV

If you have hepatitis C, you should be honest with all sexual partners about your status. This ensures that youre both taking the proper precautions to prevent transmission.

You can learn more on Healthlines page about dating with hepatitis C.

What Laboratory Tests Are Available For Hepatitis B

Tests are available to detect the types of antigens used to identify the hepatitis B virus. The tests determine if the virus is present in the body tissue or blood. The amount of each type of antigen present indicates how advanced the disease is and how infective the individual has become.

Other tests are available to detect the body’s reaction to the viral infection or the body’s reaction to vaccination against the virus. These tests work by measuring the number of antibodies present in the blood.

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How Common Is It

In 2006, the Public Health Agency of Canada reported the incidence of HBV as 2.0 cases for every 100,000 or about 650 cases reported annually in Canada. In the year 2013, the incident rate was 0.5 per 100,000 . Incidence of the disease varies from region to region but has been declining due to increasing use of the vaccine and universal immunization programs.

Sexual Transmission And Hepatitis B

Hepatitis B can be transmitted through sexual activity. Unvaccinated adults who have multiple sex partners, along with sex partners of people with chronic hepatitis B infection, are at increased risk for transmission. Injection-drug use and sexual contact are other common modes of hepatitis B transmission in the United States.

Among adults seeking treatment in STD clinics, as many as 10%40% have evidence of past or current hepatitis B virus infection. Many of these infections could have been prevented through universal vaccination during delivery of STD prevention or treatment services. Offering vaccination to all adults as part of routine prevention services in STD treatment facilities has been demonstrated to increase vaccination coverage among adults at risk for hepatitis B infection, as the behavioral risk factors for STDs and hepatitis B are similar.

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Other Body Fluids And Tissues

Synovial fluid , amniotic fluid, cerebrospinal fluid, and peritoneal fluid can contain the hepatitis B virus, but the risk of transmission to workers is not known.

Feces, nasal secretions, sputum, sweat, tears, urine, and vomit have not been implicated in the spread of hepatitis B. Unless they are visibly contaminated with blood, the risk of contracting hepatitis B from these fluids in the workplace is very low.

Hepatitis B is not transmitted by casual contact. For example, hospital employees who have no contact with blood, blood products, or blood-contaminated fluids are at no greater risk than the general public. However, the virus can spread through intimate contact with carriers in a household setting, possibly because of frequent physical contact with small cuts or skin rashes. The virus can also spread through biting and possibly by the sharing of toothbrushes or razors. It is not spread through sneezing, coughing, hand holding, hugging, kissing, breastfeeding, sharing eating utensils, water or food.

What Are The Chances Of Getting Hepatitis C From Sex

Hepatitis C can spread through sexual intercourse, but it’s rare. And it’s extremely rare among monogamous couples. In fact, the CDC considers the risk of sexual transmission between monogamous couples so low that it doesn’t even recommend using condoms. Also, there’s no evidence that hepatitis C is spread by oral sex. But you should avoid sharing razors, toothbrushes, and nail clippers, and sex during menstruation.

If you have HIV or if you have multiple partners, you should take precautions. Using condoms will protect you and your partners.

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Groups At High Risk Of Hep B Transmission

Hep B can only be passed on through blood-to-blood contact, unprotected sex or during birth so you might be at risk of having hep B if you:

• have moved to Australia from a country where hep B is widespread
• were born to a mother who was hep B positive during her pregnancy
• live or have lived with someone with hep B
• have or have had a sexual partner who has hep B
• have ever injected drugs or steroids
• are in prison or have ever been in prison
• have had blood transfusions, blood products or organ transplant in Australia before February 1990
• are of Aboriginal ancestry
• have had unsterile cosmetic or medical procedures.
• have had unsterile tattooing or piercing
• have ever taken part in unsterile traditional practices such as traditional tattooing, circumcision, initiation rituals involving blood, and scarification
• do not meet the above profiles but have abnormal liver function tests or experience hep B symptoms

Should You Get Tested

The CDC recommends that anyone over the age of 18 get tested for Hepatitis C. But you should especially consider being tested if you:

• Were born between 1945 and 1965
• Have used injected drugs
• Were born to a mother who had hepatitis C
• Were treated for a blood clotting problem before 1987
• Got a blood transfusion or organ transplant before July 1992
• Have been a long-term hemodialysis patient
• Work in health care or public safety and were exposed to blood through a needle stick or other sharp object injury

If you get tested and find out you have hepatitis C, tell your sex partner and anyone else who may have been exposed to your blood, including through drug use.

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