An issue that has come up with SO’s is: If one partner is sick, can they spread it to the other partner through unprotected intercourse? I would assume yes, but honestly I’m not sure.
I’m talking solely through intercourse; the couple avoids kissing and other ____ to mouth contact.
I can’t think of any route of transmission for the common cold which wouldn’t apply during intercourse. Even without kissing, you’re going to inevitably get them breathing on each other and touching exposed skin and so forth.
IANADoctor, but I think the only way to transmit the flu virus is for viruses to contact mucous membranes. I don’t know if female genitals or the lower digestive tract qualify or not. I don’t believe there are significant amounts of virus present in semen, but don’t know if they would be present
However, the virus is easily transmitted by merely breathing in the tiny droplets expelled by an infected persons sneezes or even strong breaths. In practice, it’s kind of hard to imagine having intercourse outside of a lab without being exposed to the other persons exhalations, so I think it’s kind of a moot question about whether genital-to-genital contact can transmit a cold virus.
OK, so let’s say my parnter and I were wearing biohazard suits and only our genitalia are exposed.
Or to put it more succinctly, are rhinovirus and/or influenza virus spread through semen or vaginal secretions?
Yeah, that’s what I was wondering.
The vagina and parts of the vulva are mucous membranes, as is the male urethra. So there’s plenty of contact between mucous membranes for transmission.
I don’t know what fluids the virus would get into, but let’s be realistic: you wash your hands after you go to the bathroom, not before. So the man, at least, has almost certainly sneezed or coughed on his hands and then put his hands on his penis. I suppose you could shower before you got into the sterile suits, but I think it’s safe to assume you’re going to share any bugs you’ve got under real circumstances.
Sounds like we need a clinical study. Any Doper volunteers who (a) have a cold and (b) want to have sex?
:: steps back from the door to avoid the stampede ::
Ooh, pig me! Pig me!
I dunno, but I’d pay to see that (or at least log on to YouPorn).
So, sort of the reverse of a condom?
Well, based on my recent anecdotal experience (i.e., me getting sick right before my boyfriend went out of town last week), it’s looking like the answer’s no, at least not this time…
:eek:
stop … stop… I can’t breathe!!!
Respiratory infections are just that - respiratory. I can’t imagine any way in which the virus would move from your respiratory mucosal surfaces to your reproductive ones - at least, not internally. So if you have a cold, I would be surprised to learn that the virus was present in your…other fluids.
Step two - if it were present there, could it penetrate your partner’s lower mucusy regions? This I don’t really know. I’d suspect that the surfaces are similar but not identical. I don’t know if the differences are significant enough to prevent cross-infection. The neuraminidase would probably still be effective… I don’t know. I could be convinced either way on this part.
Step three - assuming your loved one’s hoo-hah has been invaded by the cold virus, would she then develop a cold? Almost certainly not, and I’m not just saying that to prevent you getting a mental image of a runny vajajay. It’s a completely different environment, different immune system components, etc, etc.
THAT is the funniest thing I’ve read today.