[Question #8120] Risks from Kissing
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48 months ago
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I had protected oral and anal sex with a transexual sex worker (both giving and receiving). The condoms remained intact though-out and I was careful.
We did do some deep kissing. 2 days after the event I started to develop a sore throat and a mild cough. I felt a little run down and tired. I have tested for Covid twice and that tests were negative (I have been fully vaccinated). It's been 10 days now and I still have the sore throat and a bit of a cough, I still don't feel 100%.
I am hoping I just have a cold or regular sore throat, Is this the most likely reason for my symptoms?
or maybe I damaged my throat from oral sex?
Is there a possibility I have contracted oral gonorrhea from the kissing? (I know from reading this forum that it is unlikely). Or maybe herpes? although it's been 10 days now and I don't have any obvious sores on my lips or in my mouth, just the sore throat.
I would just like some piece of mind.
Many Thanks
We did do some deep kissing. 2 days after the event I started to develop a sore throat and a mild cough. I felt a little run down and tired. I have tested for Covid twice and that tests were negative (I have been fully vaccinated). It's been 10 days now and I still have the sore throat and a bit of a cough, I still don't feel 100%.
I am hoping I just have a cold or regular sore throat, Is this the most likely reason for my symptoms?
or maybe I damaged my throat from oral sex?
Is there a possibility I have contracted oral gonorrhea from the kissing? (I know from reading this forum that it is unlikely). Or maybe herpes? although it's been 10 days now and I don't have any obvious sores on my lips or in my mouth, just the sore throat.
I would just like some piece of mind.
Many Thanks
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Edward W. Hook M.D.
48 months ago
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Welcome to our Forum and thanks for your question. I'll be glad to comment. Thanks as well for looking at other threads on the site. We keep them up in efforts to provide information to persons visiting the site.
You are correct, STIs from kissing are vanishingly rare and not a concern and when condoms are used throughout the penetrative encounter and don't break, are highly effective for STI prevention. In addition, relative to the two STIs you mention, oral gonorrhea is almost always asymptomatic and when oral HSV causes symptoms the symptoms are due to the presence of visible lesions. Finally, while cough often accompanies viral pharyngeal and respiratory tract infections, there are no STIs which cause cough. Thus, putting all of this together, I have no concerns that you acquire an STI from the exposures that you describe and see no need for testing. I urge you not to worry and hope that your sore throat resolves soon. EWH.
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