A question about two rare std:s

[3stripes]

Its hard to quantify your risk as it depends on the local prevalence of syphilis and hep B in your area, which varies quite widely across the world. Its way higher in the US than in scandinavia for example.

Oral sex is definitely a risk for both, but kissing is thought to be lower risk.

 

[cityboy-stl]

There is a vaccine for Hepatitis B, GET IT.

Syphilis is curable with antibiotics. If you think you may been exposed, get tested. If treated early no serious damage is done. Left untreated it is devastating and ultimately fatal.

 

[KaraBulut]

Neither hepatitis nor syphilis would be described as "rare" in the US, especially among gay men. The surveillance reports are showing increasing rates of both- primarily linked to increases in unsafe sex practices like barebacking.

Hepatitis B and syphilis can be transmitted through oral sex. Hepatitis A can be transmitted through rimming.

In rare cases Hep C can be transmitted through sexual contact but this is not the usual mode of tranmission.

Neither syphilis nor hepatitis is associated with kissing though.

 

[3stripes]

Neither syphilis nor hepatitis is associated with kissing though.

Incorrect, in both disease kissing is a recognised transmission method but is dependant on a number of other factors.

 

[KaraBulut]

Incorrect, in both disease kissing is a recognised transmission method but is dependant on a number of other factors.

Kissing is not mentioned as an accepted transmission mode according to the CDC.

http://www.cdc.gov/NCIDOD/DISEASES/HEPATITIS/a/faqa.htm
Viral Hepatitis A
How is hepatitis A virus transmitted?

• Person-to-person transmission through the fecal-oral route (i.e., ingestion of something that has been contaminated with the feces of an infected person) is the primary means of hepatitis A virus transmission in the United States. Most infections result from close personal contact with an infected household member or sex partner.

http://www.cdc.gov/NCIDOD/DISEASES/HEPATITIS/b/fact.htm
Viral Hepatitis B

• Occurs when blood from an infected person enters the body of a person who is not infected.
• HBV is spread through having sex with an infected person without using a condom (the efficacy of latex condoms in preventing infection with HBV is unknown, but their proper use might reduce transmission), by sharing drugs, needles, or "works" when injecting drugs, through needlesticks or sharps exposures on the job, or from an infected mother to her baby during birth.

http://www.cdc.gov/NCIDOD/DISEASES/HEPATITIS/c/faq.htm#1b
Viral Hepatitis C
How could a person have gotten hepatitis C?
HCV is spread primarily by direct contact with human blood. For example, you may have gotten infected with HCV if:

• you ever injected street drugs, as the needles and/or other drug "works" used to prepare or inject the drug(s) may have had someone else's blood that contained HCV on them.
• you received blood, blood products, or solid organs from a donor whose blood contained HCV.
• you were ever on long-term kidney dialysis as you may have unknowingly shared supplies/equipment that had someone else's blood on them.
• you were ever a healthcare worker and had frequent contact with blood on the job, especially accidental needlesticks.
• your mother had hepatitis C at the time she gave birth to you. During the birth her blood may have gotten into your body.
• you ever had sex with a person infected with HCV.
• you lived with someone who was infected with HCV and shared items such as razors or toothbrushes that might have had his/her blood on them.

http://www.cdc.gov/NCIDOD/DISEASES/HEPATITIS/d/fact.htm
Viral Hepatitis D

• Occurs when blood from an infected person enters the body of a person who is not immune.
• HBV is spread through having sex with an infected person without using a condom (the efficacy of latex condoms in preventing infection with HBV is unknown, but their proper use may reduce transmission);
• By sharing drugs, needles, or "works" when "shooting" drugs;
• Through needlesticks or sharps exposures on the job; or
• From an infected mother to her baby during birth.

http://www.cdc.gov/NCIDOD/DISEASES/HEPATITIS/e/fact.htm
Viral Hepatitis E

• HEV is found in the stool (feces) of persons and animals with hepatitis E.
• HEV is spread by eating or drinking contaminated food or water.
• Transmission from person to person occurs less commonly than with hepatitis A virus
• Most outbreaks in developing countries have been associated with contaminated drinking water.

http://www.cdc.gov/std/syphilis/STDFact-Syphilis.htm#spread
Syphilis

• Syphilis is passed from person to person through direct contact with a syphilis sore. Sores occur mainly on the external genitals, vagina, anus, or in the rectum. Sores also can occur on the lips and in the mouth. Transmission of the organism occurs during vaginal, anal, or oral sex.

 

[3stripes]

Syphilis & Kissing:

You can get and spread syphilis through oral, anal, and vaginal sex or through other intimate sexual contact including kissing.

source: http://www.brown.edu/Student_Servic...alth_Education/sexual_health/sti/syphilis.htm
similar statement at: http://www.mamashealth.com/stds/syphilis.asp
and: http://www.medicinenet.com/syphilis_in_women/article.htm
ad nauseum

Hepatitis B & Kissing:

What about kissing?
While regular kissing and French kissing have not caused any known transmission of hepatitis B, because this virus is found in saliva, there is a potential for infection with French kissing. Make sure your partner is vaccinated.

Source: http://www.immunize.org/catg.d/4118.htm
(and we are talking about a person they want to have sex with - thus they aint gonna be pecking on the cheek!)

see also: http://www.springerlink.com/content/3pxv9mc4knk8kt65/

A 31-year-old homosexual man was admitted to our hospital in August 2001 with liver dysfunction. His diagnosis was acute hepatitis B. ... Because he knew that the partner was infected with HIV, the sexual relationship had included only deep kissing, with no oral-genital or anal-genital sex.

 

[KaraBulut]

Sorry- the CDC is the authoritative source, here.

The most important thing in the thread that should not be overlooked is cityboy-stl's comment about the hepatitis B immunication. Sexually active gay men should get the hepatitis B immunization.

 

[3stripes]

Sorry- the CDC is the authoritative source, here.

So with a wave of your fairy wand you dismiss an actual scientific paper and other reputable sources. Ha, not your call to make.

I think you just dont want to admit something ...

 

[3stripes]

Besides kissing, just touching some people infected with syphilis can cause you to become infected. If that can do it kissing definitely can!

Secondary syphilis begins 3 to 6 weeks after the disappearance of your chancres. The syphilis rash will appear. This is a brown skin rash that will appear on the soles of your feet and the palms of your hands. This rash can spread to cover your whole body or it may be limited to certain areas. This rash can be contagious, so it is important to avoid skin-to-skin contact with an uninfected person.

source: http://www.epigee.org/syphilis_symptoms.html

 

[jockboy01]

No offense me4you, but if anybody is writing up a case report about a transmission of hep B via kissing, that in and of itself says that such transmission is exceedingly rare. I'm not convinced that hep B can be transmitted by kissing.

As to syphilis.... it appears that you can catch it by kissing. However, it doesn't live long outside the body, so you would have to have the ulcer in or near the mouth to transmit it via kissing.

 

[drhladnjak]

Even better, get the Hep A+B vaccine. Hep A isn't fatal, but it can make you sick for 2-6 weeks. No fun at all. It's transmitted by an oral-fecal route, which means activities like rimming are the most risky although a lot of people get it from tainted produce as well. Hep B is transmitted in ways similar to HIV, but it's WAY more contagious (something like 100 times more contagious). When I got the last shot for my vaccination a few years ago, the doctor told me I'd probably be more likely to come into contact with Hep B than HIV.

I believe it's a three shot sequence (second shot at 2 months, third at 6 months). Many public health departments will give it to you for free or at discount if you let them know you're gay (i.e., in a higher risk group).

As for syphilis, if you're sexually active, your doctor should be giving you a blood test for it (along with HIV and other STDs tested by urine and swabbing of the mouth and rectum) once a year. Syphilis is easily cured with antibiotics, but the number of cases among gay men has skyrocketed in the past few years.