Potential illness behind the kiss

Kissing others can result from mild illnesses such as oral herpes to more serious problems such as viral or mumps meningitis.

A kiss contains up to one billion bacteria from 278 different species. 95% of these bacteria are harmless, but research in The American Journal of Medicine shows they can still lead to health problems. Here are the diseases you are likely to encounter when kissing other people, according to Medical Daily.

Oral herpes

Blisters around your mouth are the first sign that your partner has transmitted the disease to you. Herpes mouth is spread through open wounds or saliva, sometimes causing ulcers inside the mouth or throat that swell the lymph nodes in the neck. Usually, herpes will heal itself after 8-10 days.

Viral meningitis

You are likely to have viral meningitis if exposed to other people's saliva when you kiss. This highly contagious disease causes inflammation of the thin membrane covering the brain and spinal nervous system.

Early symptoms of viral meningitis include headache, fever, chills, fatigue, nausea, and neck pain. If you suspect you are sick, you should see your doctor right away.

A kiss contains up to one billion bacteria from 278 different species.(Photo: kevinmd.com).

Cytomegalovirus

Your first teenage kiss can cause you to have Cytomegalovirus (CMV). This virus is spread through body fluids such as saliva, blood, and urine and will remain in the patient forever.

CMV rarely causes serious consequences but children, pregnant women or immunocompromised people are prone to pneumonia, hepatitis, and rash. Infants exposed to the virus while still in the womb often experience neurological and developmental problems. Adolescents, adults who are sick will be tired, muscle aches, headache, fever, swelling of the liver, spleen for about 3 weeks.

Mumps

Mumps is spread through secretions of the respiratory tract. The first sign of mumps is swelling of the salivary glands around the ear, which mainly affects the area. Besides, mumps patients may have fever, headache, muscle aches, fatigue and loss of appetite.

Flu

Flu is easily transmitted from person to person through mucus or saliva. Common symptoms are muscle pain, headache, sore throat, high fever and runny nose.

In addition, polio is also one of the diseases that spread through kissing but has almost disappeared thanks to the vaccine.