[Question #10229] Oral Gonorrhea/Chlamydia/Etc

24 months ago

Hello Doctors,

I have a general question about oral STDs: Is it possible to pass oral gonorrhea [or oral chlamydia, which I know is more rare] through casual contact such as sharing drinks/utensils/food? What about accidental ingestion, like spit or food flying out of an infected person's mouth and onto someone else's plate or into someone else's drink, etc? Or even spit from an infected person's mouth flying into someone else's mouth by accident while they talk? How about kissing? Thanks!

Edward W. Hook M.D.

24 months ago

Welcome to our Forum. Thanks for your questions. Neither gonorrhea nor any other STI, including HIV is transmitted through contact on inanimate objects. This includes sharing eating implements or drinking straws. Nor are they transmitted by saliva either through exposures to spit or through "spray" from somewhat talking. Deep "French") kissing may, occasionally result in transfer of STIs such as gonorrhea but it is uncommon, both because oral STIs such as these are relatively uncommon compared to genital infections and because the transfer process is biologically less efficient than genital -r ano-genital sexual contact.

I hope that htis information is helpful. EWH

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