Brief Answer:
Infections like Herpes, Genital warts and Hepatitis B can be transmitted

Detailed Answer:
Hi XXXX,
Thanks for writing in to us.

I have read through your query in details.
While most sexual infections like HIV, Hepatitis C, Syphilis, Gonorrhea, Chlamydia require close sexual contact (intercourse) or break in skin to be transmitted, there are few others like oral and genital Herpes, Human papilloma virus causing genital warts and Hepatitis B that can be transmitted by activities including kiss on cheek and close hugging wearing minimum clothes and condoms sex and touching sexual fluids without a cut.

However the transmission rate through kissing and close skin contact is much lesser without any skin break.

Hope this answers your question. Please feel free to correct any oversight in my interpretation of your problems and discuss them in detail as per your requirements.

Hope your query is answered.
Do write back if you have any doubts.

Regards,
Dr.Vivek

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Brief Answer:
Just a peck on the cheek is safe from almost every sexual infection

Detailed Answer:
Hi XXXX,
Thanks for writing back with an update.

I appreciate your interest and research on the topic by referring to the CDC website.

Please allow me to make the following clarifications on the earlier reply.
1. Herpes is a highly contagious disease especially when the person having it has blisters filled with fluid and the blisters break. But on the other hand most people have been exposed to Herpes at some point in life and have developed antibodies. However most of these people do not show any symptoms and blisters and are largely unaware of their condition unless tested.

So if you were to ask me that is Herpes transmitted by kissing, my answer will be that it is the most widely spread among sexual infections and kissing can spread it and so can touching sexual fluids.

2. Human papilloma virus is also easily spread easily through oral sex and deep kissing from one person to another. The likelihood of contracting oral HPV is directly associated with number of sexual partners a person has had.

Again I clarify that DRY KISSING will not transmit HPV.

3. Medical literature says that since HBV has been found in saliva, the risk of transmission with deep kissing might exists and the risk increases if one partner wears dental braces or has open cuts or sores in the mouth. The likelihood of becoming infected with HBV grows with the number of sexual partners a person has as with HPV.

As mentioned in CDC, a peck on the cheek is unlikely to transmit Hepatitis B.

In conclusion, among partners, kissing often ends in deep kissing and exchange of saliva and therefore in my earlier reply I had generalized that kissing involving exchange of saliva rarely might transmit the infections.

Hope your query is answered.
Do write back if you have any doubts.

Regards,
Dr.Vivek

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Brief Answer:
The skin is a natural and safe barrier as long there are no break or wounds

Detailed Answer:
Hi XXXX,
Thanks for writing back with an update.

Skin is the safest natural barrier from diseases and that is the reason most STIs do not infect us. There are three layers of the skin named the epidermis, the dermis and the hypodermis. These are tightly attached to each other and limit the transmission of any infection to the inner layers of cells.

Hope your query is answered.
Do write back if you have any doubts.

Regards,
Dr.Vivek

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