[Question #12066] Forgot to ask explicitly about chlamydia

10 months ago

Drs.

I forgot to ask about the odds of acquiring chlamydia through open mouth kissing described in my previous post.

Most sites I’ve seen like CDC and NIH don’t list kissing as a means of transmission which I hope is reliable but I figured I would ask the experts. The reason I became concerned is that my heel has started hurting and I read where chlamydia infection can cause reactive arthritis (RA).

1. Can you please tell me the odds of acquiring chlamydia through brief kissing (including tongue) between a male and female?

2. Is it as rare or rarer than gonnorhea transmission from male to female kissing?

3. Should I be worried that I’ve contracted chlamydia and RA?

Thank you

H. Hunter Handsfield, MD

10 months ago

Oral chlamydia is rare, and positive test results often reflect chlamydial RNA only, without viable (or transmissible) live bacteria. Chlamydia has never been reported to be transmitted by kissing. If it happens, it is extremely rare.

1. Probably zero or close to it.

2. To my. knowledge, there has never been a reported case of gonorrhea transmitted by kissing between men and women; all known cases have been between men. Chlamydia probably is even less likely.

3. No.

Reactive arthritis cannot begin sooner than a few weeks after infection, and is a very rare complication of chlamydia anyway.

HHH, MD

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10 months ago

Thank you Dr.

So to close this out for good regarding this exposure:

1. Are you comfortable saying the odds I contracted Chlamydia from kissing a female (with tongue involved) are pretty much zero?

2. Kissing between Male to female is pretty much zero risk for STIs like Chlamydia, Gonnohrea and even Syphillis?

3. You’d be comfortable saying my heel pain is unrelated to the exposure from 2.5 weeks ago?

Thanks again.

H. Hunter Handsfield, MD

10 months ago

1. Yes, that's what I said in equivalent words.

2. Yes gonorrhea and chlamydia. No for syphilis, which can be transmitted by kissing. However, it is very rare, largely because syphilis is so rare in most sexually active women.

3. Correct; no way they are related.

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10 months ago

Thank you sir. Have a great day and thank you for this service.

10 months ago

I guess since I have a follow up I’ll ask another question. Do you have any idea why the tip of my tongue would be burning since a couple of days after the kiss encounter? It’s been 3 weeks and my tongue still burns on and off daily. Again, no change in appearance and I’ve seen my PCP and Dentist. The dentist said it could be a manifestation of anxiety (burning mouth syndrome) but he wasn’t positive. Any ideas from your experience? Thanks again for this service..

H. Hunter Handsfield, MD

10 months ago

I can't think of any explanation better than your dentist's. No infection can cause such a symptom without a visible abnormality -- and neither your doctor nor dentist sees anything wrong. I wouldn't worry about it.

That completes our standard two follow-up comments and replies and so ends this thread. Best wishes and stay safe.

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