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Can HIV Be Contracted Through Kissing?

Posted on Wed, 12 Apr 2017

Question: To be anseewed by dr XXXXXXX

Does kissing cause hiv ? I kisses a male recently and his tooth hit his lip and after kissing i saw a small bruise in his lip. Have there been any cases of hiv from kissing ? I am very worried . I have never had anal oral or vaginal sex in my life.

Answered by Dr. Sankaranantham Murugan (4 hours later)

Brief Answer:
Your risk for getting HIV through kissing is negligible

Detailed Answer:
Hi,
Welcome to HCM.
Thanks for posting your query.
As per centers for disease control, XXXXXXX USA, (https://www.cdc.gov/hiv/risk/estimates/riskbehaviors.html) Anal and vaginal sex carry a greater risk for HIV and oral sex carries a low risk. All other sexual activities carry only negligible risk.
Human saliva is not infectious for HIV, as saliva does not contain adequate concentration of virus to cause a fresh infection unless it is contaminated with blood.
Your boy friend is not necessarily an infected individual. Even if he has HIV infection, and he had a bruise over his lip when you kissed him, the risk for HIV transmission is negligible only.
I had not come across a single case so far in my practice ( 28 years in HIV practice) and from literature a HIV transmission only through kissing.
Dr S.Murugan

Above answer was peer-reviewed by : Dr. Nagamani Ng

Follow up: Dr. Sankaranantham Murugan (11 minutes later)

Thanks dr...if u remember i had consultee u last time also....thanks for all your help....just wanted to tell u that his tooth accudenrly hut his inner lip...i didnt realise at that time butlater i was so anxioue that i checked his lip and there was a bruise ....there might hv been small amounts of blood but i couldnt see or taste....also now my back of tongue is slightly white....there are no other symtoms...i am very scared ....hoe do i keep myself safe from hiv.....should i have taken pep after this incident ? Thanks a lot again

Answered by Dr. Sankaranantham Murugan (5 hours later)

Brief Answer:
PEP is not indicated for you.

Detailed Answer:
Hi,
Welcome back.
Even if you have come in contact with the blood of infected person, various factors like viral load, ART drugs, host immunity play important role in deciding the transmission of virus. In spite of all these factors the risk through your act is negligible only.
White appearance of posterior aspect of your tongue is not necessarily related to HIV.
PEP is indicated only for occupational exposures happened to health care personnel not for other activities, that too it should be taken within 72 hours, preferably as early as possible.
DR S.Murugan

Above answer was peer-reviewed by : Dr. Prasad

Follow up: Dr. Sankaranantham Murugan (23 minutes later)

Thanks for you reply dr. So there has never been a hiv transmissiom thru kissing even when blood is involved ? I have been getting headache googling every page on the internet....some websites say low risk some say no risk. You said that its negligible. Means there is still a chance ? Do u recommend testing after such exposures. I last teested negative in novemeber. My only ecposure was this kiss and anither case where a mans precum touched my penis head. If i avoid anal vaginal and oral sex will i stay safe ? Or do i need to keep testing. I have had no symtoms so far except the white tongue that too at the back of tongue. Could that be thrush ? Is it related to hiv. Plz help. Thanks

Answered by Dr. Sankaranantham Murugan (6 hours later)

Brief Answer:
Ruling out HIV with test will relieve unnecessary mental tension.

Detailed Answer:
Hi,
Welcome back.
Myself, as a third person, not involving in the act can say the risk is negligible only and can not say that the risk is nil.
As it had come to your mind and make annoying you, it is better to have a HIV test and rule out the negligible or remote possibility also. Otherwise small ailments like head ache, or a sore throat can be attributed to that past incident in your future.
Dr S.Murugan

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Above answer was peer-reviewed by : Dr. Yogesh D