pathogen dynamics, i.e. when is it safe to kiss?

[gusl]

If you witness a big network of kissing in one evening, say a network of 20 people, each kissing an average of 5 people... I'd imagine that your probability of catching something by kissing someone in this network increases at least 3 fold compared to kissing a "non-promiscuous kisser".


Related questions:

Do frequent kissers have better immune systems? (e.g. due to increased exposure at safe levels, or the healthful effects of physical connection). Do they get Salivally Transmissible Diseases more or less often?

Once infected, the number of germs in a person's body supposedly grows exponentially (before defenses kick in)... so if you must come in contact with someone who is exposed, by this logic, you should choose someone who is not (yet) infected, or at least not for a long time. But if it happens quickly enough, the more people you kiss, the more you're diluting the pathogen. (Then again, spitting would probably be more effective!)

I'd like to see plots of infectiousness vs time. This could make some neat simulations, Santa Fe people!

Comments

[altamira16.livejournal.com]

Are you trying to tell us something about your party? ;)

[gustavolacerda.livejournal.com]

To my knowledge, my party had very low transmission potential. Most guests didn't know each other beforehand, and it was like the opposite of a pacman party.

[simrob.livejournal.com]

I think the opposite of a pacman party would be roller-skating around a brightly lit room drinking protein shakes and listening to Bach.

[chrisamaphone]

...so, when are we doing this?

[roseandsigil.livejournal.com]

yes.

[roseandsigil.livejournal.com]

I think the expected utility of kissing is still going to be higher, Gustavo.

[gustavolacerda.livejournal.com]

I wasn't making utility judgements.
But I think I agree with you, that this is true most of the time.

[gustavolacerda.livejournal.com]

What do you convey when you write the person's name at the end of a sentence, Matt?

[roseandsigil.livejournal.com]

I was indicating mild...sarcasm, I guess. But I am not sure it was the best way to communicate it. Gustavo.

[robbat2.livejournal.com]

You have also neglected the manner of kissing.

The above is only true for saliva/mucus exchanges.

[gustavolacerda.livejournal.com]

yes, the quantity of saliva (pathogens) matters.

[widdertwin.livejournal.com]

Let's not forget about the quality of the saliva!

[widdertwin.livejournal.com]

Kissing before you're married sends you to Hell! Hell, say I, into the eternal fires of the Inferno!

[gustavolacerda.livejournal.com]

you are clearly exaggerating. Let me take my pencil and do a utility calculation.... oh wait it says you should never kiss for that reason! Damn Pascal's wager!

[simrob.livejournal.com]

You just have to add to your utility calculation the non-zero Baseyan probability of the Global Kissey God. The GKG's existence implies that you only go to paradise if you are a member of the largest connected component of the transitive closure of the has-kissed relation.

Which is still better than the Perverse Regional Kissey God, who only sends you to paradise if you're a member of the second largest connected component.

[widdertwin.livejournal.com]

I lol'd at both of these responses.

[gfish.livejournal.com]

I always expected that effect, but after ~8 years or so I've yet to notice any strong correlation upon attending that kind of party.

[gustavolacerda.livejournal.com]

you mean, no correlation between fully participating in such parties and getting sick?

[gfish.livejournal.com]

yeah.

[widdertwin.livejournal.com]

Also, I am pretty much the most consistently germ-free (read: avoidant) person in the world, and I never get sick. So much for that immune-system thing.

[tedesson.livejournal.com]

NYC sounds fun!

[gustavolacerda.livejournal.com]

where did that come from?

[chrisamaphone]

i think the commenter assumes you're already in new york

[tedesson.livejournal.com]

Kissing parties.

[gustavolacerda.livejournal.com]

I don't know anything about the party scene in NYC. I am still in Vancouver.

[spoonless.livejournal.com]

I guess I'm just one datapoint, but I tend to kiss people who kiss a lot of people, and have a huge network of kissing buddies. Hell, some of the people I know just kiss to say hello or goodbye, even if we've only met once or twice and there is no overt sexual attraction. And from what I can tell my health is at least average, maybe better than average. Then again, I do drink lots of water and eat multivitamins regularly... not sure if that counteracts it.

Also, I feel like my health improved when I started kissing more people... before then, I was lonelier and tended to get sick more. Perhaps because I had a weaker immune system or something.

[hykue.livejournal.com]

I kiss a lot of people and my immune system sucks. I catch every cold that's going around.