Can you get tonsillitis from kissing

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The State of Victoria and the Department of Health shall not bear any liability for reliance by any user on the materials contained on this website. Skip to main content. Home Infections. Kissing and your health. Actions for this page Listen Print. Summary Read the full fact sheet. On this page. How disease is spread Viruses that can be transmitted by kissing Bacteria that can be transmitted by kissing Keep it in perspective Prevention of infection while kissing Passionate kisses have health benefits Where to get help.

How disease is spread Diseases can be spread from person to person in a number of ways: Contact spread — some diseases are spread directly from person to person, for example during kissing, or indirectly when you touch a contaminated surface or object.

Droplet spread — infected droplets from the nose and throat can usually travel around one metre before they drop onto a surface. Sometimes infected droplets can also linger in the air. Infection occurs when the infected droplet is inhaled or someone comes into contact with a contaminated surface or object.

Airborne spread — some infected particlesfrom the nose and throat can remain in the air for a long time because of their tiny size. They are called droplet nuclei and can be inhaled directly into the lungs. Viruses that can be transmitted by kissing Examples of illnesses caused by viruses that can be transmitted during kissing include: Colds — also known as upper respiratory tract infections.

Many different viruses can cause the common cold. Polio is a highly infectious viral disease that primarily affects young children. The virus spreads from oral contact or through contaminated food and water. Once in the intestine, it can invade the nervous system and cause paralysis. Symptoms include fever, limb pain, fatigue, headache and stiffness in the neck. While there is no cure for polio, it has been largely eradicated in the U.

Mumps is a viral infection that affects the salivary glands, causing them to swell. It usually spreads via airborne droplets from the nose or throat of an infected person. Easily preventable by vaccine, this disease is no longer as common as it once was, though outbreaks in unvaccinated groups still sporadically occur. Symptoms typically include fever, headache, muscle aches, fatigue and loss of appetite.

Recovering from mumps takes about two weeks, and treatment usually focuses on relieving the symptoms. Also known as the German measles, rubella is a contagious disease caused by a virus transmitted through an infected person's sneeze or cough. Symptoms only show up in half of people who get rubella and are usually mild.

They include a fever and rash and clear up in two to three days. In this article, we explain the causes, diagnosis, and symptoms of tonsillitis. We also provide some facts about treatment, including the removal of tonsils. Some people may develop tonsil stones, which doctors also call tonsilloliths or tonsillar calculi. A tonsillolith is a calcified buildup of material in the crevices of the tonsils.

Tonsil stones can be a nuisance and sometimes difficult to remove, but they are not generally harmful. Tonsillitis can sometimes cause the throat to swell so much that breathing becomes difficult. This is rare, but If it occurs, seek medical attention urgently. To diagnose tonsillitis, a doctor will start with a general examination and will check for swelling around the tonsils, often with white spots. Doctors may also inspect the exterior of the throat for signs of enlarged lymph glands and a rash that sometimes occurs.

The doctor might take a swab of the infected area for closer inspection. Using this technique, they can determine whether the cause of the infection is viral or bacterial. They may also carry out a complete blood cell count. This test involves taking a tiny amount of blood to investigate levels of certain types of blood cells. This bloodwork can help a doctor supplement the information they have obtained from the swab.

In some cases, if the swab is inconclusive, a complete blood cell count can help the doctor determine the best treatment. People can use over-the-counter OTC pain relieving medications to numb the symptoms of tonsillitis. If a bacterial infection is causing tonsillitis, a doctor will usually prescribe antibiotics. However, they will not do so for a person with viral tonsillitis.

Antibiotics are not effective against viruses. Penicillin is the most common antibiotic. When on a course of antibiotics, a person must follow the full course and continue taking them, even if the symptoms have resolved.

The GP will not give you antibiotics. Glandular fever is caused by a virus so antibiotics will not work. You should feel better within 2 to 3 weeks.

Some people might feel extremely tired for months. Try to gradually increase your activity when your energy starts to come back.