A recent study from the University of Illinois Chicago has found that certain bedroom activities, like kissing and oral sex, can increase the chances of spreading the herpes simplex virus type 1 (HSV-1). This virus could lead to serious long-term health problems, including dementia and brain inflammation.
Professor Deepak Shukla, who led the study, explained that the virus can travel from the nose to the nervous system, causing damage over time. He warned that “any position in which someone’s nose comes into contact with virus particles from a person who carries HSV-1 could put them at risk of contracting it.” The study, reported by DailyMail, is the first to show that the virus can produce behavioral symptoms by using a cellular enzyme.
According to the World Health Organization (WHO), nearly two-thirds of the global population carry HSV-1. The virus spreads through contact with sores, saliva, or the skin around the mouth. Though it mainly causes cold sores, HSV-1 can also be transmitted to the genital area through oral-genital contact, which can lead to genital herpes — though this is less common.
Shukla mentioned that someone with oral herpes, which causes blisters around the lips, can pass the virus to another person through kissing. He also noted that cases of genital herpes caused by HSV-1 have been reported when the virus was transmitted during oral sex.
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