Can kissing cause sexually transmitted diseases?

Washington: A recent study has revealed that kissing could be a possible reason behind gonorrhoea - the most antibiotic-resistant of all the sexually transmitted infections.

The study indicated that a significant and previously unrecognised route of transmission of the bacterial infection is kissing. The study was published in the journal 'The Lancet'.

Monash University's Professor Kit Fairley argued that the global sexual health community "needs to recognise that gonorrhoea is on the rise and that there should be an increased awareness of the risks of kissing as a route of transmission."

"Understanding how it is transmitted is the key to understanding how to control it - if transmission by kissing is a key route of transmission then it is important to investigate new methods of control, such as antibacterial mouthwash." The study included more than 3600 men who have sex with men over a 12-month period from March 2016.

By mapping those who only kissed partners, compared to having sex with partners, the researchers were able to determine that the transmission of the disease is high in people who kiss only, and was higher in those who have sex with kissing compared to those who have sex without kissing.