OUR BODIES, OUR MINDS

by

Harvey Thompson, M.D.

"A Kiss is Not Just a Kiss"

The Gay Community seems to be the kissiest group around. Meet someone, and it's smack, right on the lips. Total strangers even. A non-Gay acquaintance of mine says that only her Gay male friends greet her with a kiss. Not even her closest relatives go for the lips.

"The Kissing Disease" used to be a term for mononucleosis. But kisses may transfer other dieases as well; the Kaposi's Foundation in San Francisco is now referring to cytomegalvirus as "the kissing disease". Is AIDS also a kissing disease?

Since the cause of AIDS has yet to be determined, its mode of transmission is unknown. However, it is thought to be transferred by body fluids, just like Hepatitis-B virus; therefore, direct mucosal contact is not advised.

Now, the lips are not mucosal surfaces. They are, however, bathed in saliva, and of any body fluid, saliva has the highest microscopic counts for bacteria. Between 43,000, 000 and 5,500,000,000 bacteria are in each cubic centimeter of saliva-an amount about the equivalent of of one-fifth of a teaspoon! And saliva is a poor indicator of what's there. Checking mouth flora and fauna by saliva cultures is like describing soil microorganisms in Minnesota by culturing Mississippi River water at New Orleans.

One of the main components of saliva is the discharge from glands in the mouth. Cytomegalovirus is described as the "salivary gland virus", and that condition is one of the suspects in the immune system deficiency found in the Gay Community. Following its infection, there is continued secretion of CMV in high amounts found in saliva and other body fluids. Kissing? Decide for yourself.

What else can you get from kissing? Well, protozoa are not at all uncommon in the oral cavity, including familiar names like entamoeba and

trichomonas. However, those are not pathogenic (disease-producing) in the mouth, unlike their cousins, which can cause amebiasis in the intestinal tract or trichomonas in

the genitourinary system.

Hepatitis B virus is found in large concentrations in blood, urine, semen, and certainly in saliva. The extent of transmission by saliva is unknown, but patients are told during their infection to avoid sharing a glass, a joint, or a kiss. That might halt the continuing Hepatitis-B epidemic, were it not for Hepatitis-B carriers (about 10% of those infected) who can spread the disease for years without knowing it. The safest course is probably to take advantage of the new vaccine and have one less disease to worry about.

Syphilis can spread from just about any point it gains entry. The lips, tounge, and mouth mucosa are frequent sites. But the period of infectivity is usually confined to a few weeks in the primary and secondary stages of the disease. The infective source can ordinarily be identified as a sore, a rash, or a patch on the mucosa.

Tuberculosis (yes, it's still around!) is probably more often transmitted by expectoration that by saliva. The disease-producing bacteria must come from the lower respiratory tract. That's why there used to be laws preventing spitting, a unique human habit shared only with a few other animals such as camals, chameleons and some snakes, has fortunately become less and less socially acceptible.

Bats can have infectious saliva for rabies without displaying symptoms. Luckily, there is no evidence that rabies virus persists in the saliva of humans who display no symptoms.

Gonorrhea is probably not spread by kissing. Its pathogen tends to stay exactly where it's put, and that's usually on the posterior pharynx (way back in the throat) in oral outbreaks. It is more likely that the recipient of oragenital sex

mine

would be infected than the "deep kisser",

Colds are most often transmitted by droplets carried on the currents of breathing or a sneeze or cough.

Kissing certainly offers a more direct method. If you think you've had more than your share of winter colds, then it might be time to worry about paramyxovirus, adenovirus, reovirus, etc., on the lips. of others.

Most viral infections are only transient in the mouth. The exception is herpes, which can probably be transmitted by someone with no symptoms of the disease: another "carrier" occurence. In contrast, mumps can only be transferred from infected individuals from about six days before the illness to about nine days afterwards.

The mouth is a complex environment. What grows in the mouth is a reflection of its contents. If you ever had a "furry" tongue, you recognize the influence that a recent cold or dose of antibiotic can have on tongue biology. Good oral hygiene will ensure a lower number of microorganisms, and at least those will be tolerant of oxygen. A neglect of oral hygiene results in the proliferation of nonoxygen-requiring "anaerobic" bacteria, which are characterized by putrefaction bad breath.

Keeping your mouth "kissing sweet" is a good idea for your own peace of mind. But that doesn't mean you have to keep on kissing with it!!

Benefit at KEYS

On Sunday, June 12th at 10pm. Frankie Wurm will be performing his "Evening with Judy Garland" at KEYS. The show will be a 'no-cover charge' benefit, to raise money for the Gay Pride March in Columbus on Sunday, June 26th, sponsered by the Eleanore Roosevelt Gay Democratic Society.

The society will be selling roundtrip bus tickets to the march for only $15 at the show at KEYS and all over Cleveland that weekend. However if you would like to reserve your seat in advance you can contact either the Gay Hotline at 216/621-3380 or call Robbie at home at 216/221-2114.

Remember, "This One's For You", so please make plans to be in Columbus on June 26, 1983 and at KEYS on June 12, 1983.

GINZZY'S

OPEN 7 DAYS A WEEK MON-SAT 5pm-2:30am SUNDAY 6pm-2:30am

Bobbie Callicoatte Show

Mondays

"Personal Best" Nite Wednesdays

Amature Night

11814 DETROIT, LAKEWOOD 226-980 1 enter & park in rear

Miss Action, 1983