Recent research from the Melbourne Sexual Health Centre has suggested that the STD gonorrhoea can be spread through kissing, not just sexual intercourse, contradicting previous NHS advice.
While unprotected sex remains the most frequent method of transmission for this particular disease, the research – which analysed six studies – suggested that the disease could be transferred through tongue kissing. The findings have prompted calls for updated guidelines on the prevention of STIs.
“You can catch gonorrhoea by having any type of unprotected sexual contact, including oral sex or by sharing sex toys,” a NHS statement says.
“Gonorrhoea is not caught by kissing, even if one partner has the infection in his or her throat. You or your partner could have picked up the infection from a previous partner without even knowing it.”
The number of gonorrhoea cases in the UK has been rising, with diagnoses from January to September 2022 reported to be 21% higher than those reported over the same period in 2019.
The UK Health Security Agency has advised those with multiple sexual partners to be tested for the infection and has emphasised the importance of using condoms to prevent STIs.
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