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Research reveals that kissing increases risk of meningitis in teenagers
10 February 2006
Making the news today are the results of a research project funded by Meningitis Research Foundation which looked at why teenagers and young adults are the second most at risk group of contracting meningitis and septicaemia - the blood poisoning form of the disease.
One of the conclusions of the study , lead by Professor Robert Booy, co-director of the National Centre for Immunisation Research at the Sydney Children's Hospital, was that intimate kissing might be partly responsible for increased risk.
The bacteria that cause meningitis and septicaemia live in the back of the nose and throat of one in ten of the population. These bacteria will not live long outside of the body, so passing them in saliva, as with intimate kissing, is a way that they can move from person to person.
However, just because a person has the bacteria at the back of their nose and throat does not mean that they will get meningitis or septicaemia. The bacteria need to break out of the nose and throat area to cause meningitis or septicaemia.
Linda Glennie, Head of Research and Medical Information for Meningitis Research Foundation said: "Whilst we recognise that life-style factors are one of the reasons why young people are more at risk of contracting meningococcal meningitis and septicaemia than other age groups, we would certainly not advocate they refrain from kissing. However, because young adults are in a higher risk category, Meningitis Research Foundation produces awareness materials which are tailor-made for this age group, distributing 100,000s of copies every year to, for instance, universities and colleges at the start of the academic year."
For more information call the Foundation Freefone 24 hour helpline 080 8800 3344
Read more about this project:
Research archive for the public: Meningococcal disease in adolescence: an integrated social, biological and psychological investigation
Research archive for the scientific community: The adolescent peak in meningococcal disease: An integrated social, biological and psychological investigation