Diseases through Saliva...

Dear Dr.,

I have a general question and I don't know who to ask. I'm quite embarrassed by this. While in aruba, I french kissed a commercial 'working girl' (and nothing else). The next night, I developed the chills and had diarrhea for a day (I had been drinking the night before).

Now, 4 weeks later I am coughing and feel like I have a food particle stuck in my throat (everytime I swallow). My General Practitioner Doctor said I had a sore throat but it does not feel sore or otherwise hurt.

I'm incredibly paranoid about diseases spread through saliva. Hep, SARS, smallpox, TB, meningitis (especially because she probably kissing hundreds of men). Is my paranoia justified? What could this be? What are my chances of contracting those diseases? Should I test for other respiratory diseases??

Thank You

[J.M. Keyes, MD]

Hi there,
Your symptoms aren't consistent with any of the diseases you mentioned, and I would not spend time worrying about them.
Your chills and diarrhea the following day were probably caused by either your drinking the night before, or some gastrointestinal bug you picked up in Aruba.  You wouldn't get symptoms that fast from kissing someone the night before.
Your current symptoms are also not likely due to your encounter with this woman... you probably picked up a respiratory illness somewhere else in the meantime.  If you don't actually have a sore throat, antibiotics are not going to help that- the main need for antibiotics for throat infections is strep, and it doesn't sound like that's what you have.  
Keep an eye on your cough, and if it's not clearing up in a couple of weeks, or you are developing fevers, chills, coughing up blood or colored mucus, feeling short of breath, having pain in your chest when you breath in, or have other worrisome symptoms, see your doctor for an exam and possible further testing/treatment.
Otherwise, I wouldn't worry about the connection to the girl in Aruba or any STDs.

Good luck,
JMK MD

[STDscared]

I also forgot to add this question:

I had a PPD test a few days ago (4 weeks after I kissed the woman). It came back negative. However, they say you should test 12-16 weeks after exposure. If I had active TB, would the PPD test show positive regardless of when I contracted it?

Thanks

[mirobaloch]

usually there is very less chances of contracting a serious disease thru saliva.
dont be panic.
your gp is right. you probably have a sore throat although it doesnt feel sore.
may be you need some antibiotics to clear it.
yes ppd can be positive although you dont have the disease or it can be negative although someone has the disease.

[STDscared]

Hi Doc-

What about Tuburculosis? I had a PPD test, would it definitely be positive if i had active TB? CDC says TB cant be tansfered through saliva but what are my chances? If she coughed, etc.

Thanks

[J.M. Keyes, MD]

Hi,
there is a chance of a false positive result with the PPD done 4 weeks after contact, as it can take your body up to 10 weeks for your body to react to the tuberculin.  If you are really concerned, you could repeat the PPD (if you have never had a PPD, you ususally get a "2 step" test with a repeat a couple of weeks later). I think the liklihood of your symptoms being related to TB is very low- active disease generally gives you cough with thick, cloudy, and sometimes bloody mucus from the lungs, fever, chills, night sweats, fatigue/weakness, loss of appetite/weight loss, shortness of breath and chest pain.

Good luck.
JMK MD

[STDscared]

Thanks Doc-

Last question. I had a negative PPD 3.5 weeks post possible exposure. If I went in for a chest x-ray (currently 6 weeks post exposure), would it show evidence of TB if I have contracted it or would I need to wait 10 weeks for the xray to work correctly as well?

I'm extremely paranoid over this incident. I figure if i can go in for a chest xray (free through work) then I can rule out any respiratory disorders from this incident.

Thank You

[flyr56]

I have several silver fillings in my mouth.One of them seems to give off a metallic  taste.Shortly after my lips were chapped and have been chapped for two weeks.Could I have developed a form of mercury poisoning?

[STDscared]

Start your own thread and don't hijack mine.

Dr. Keyes,

I have a final question above before flyr56's posted a question.

[suri_666]

hi
can T.B spread by sharing the spoon of the infected,specially when it is in inactive state.

i ask this question because i used a spoon without washing immediatly after it was used by a  person whom i suspect having T.B , but he was ingood health.

thanks