Are sinus infections contagious through kissing?
The contagiousness of sinus infections depends on the causative agent. Viruses cause the most common sinus infection. Infections caused by viruses can spread via kissing another person [1].
However, kissing a person with a viral sinus infection does not guarantee that you will also get one. Most likely, the virus will first cause a cold-like disease that can later develop into sinusitis [1].
Bacteria can also cause sinus infections. However, these are not contagious [1].
How does a sinus infection spread?
Viruses, bacteria, or fungi can cause sinus infections. The spread of these infections depends mainly on the causative agent.
Viral sinus infections are the most common and can be contagious. They often start as a common cold and develop into sinusitis later in the course of the disease [1].
Virus infections spread via droplets in the air, and they can be transferred via sneezes or coughs. Also, touching objects on which the droplets with the virus land and later touching the mouth with the same hand can lead to an infection [1].
Bacterial sinus infections are not contagious and are less common. Bacteria cause under 2% of sinus infections and typically occur after viral infections. Bacterial sinusitis usually develops after the person blows pathogens into the sinuses, which can occur during nose blowing or coughing [1, 2].
Fungi can also cause a sinus infection. They are rare and occur in high-humidity environments. The colonization starts with spores entering the sinuses through the nose.
A sinus infection can also come from a dental infection. In some cases, a dental procedure can damage the Schneiderian membrane, allowing a spread of pathogens from the oral cavity to the sinuses. Such sinus infection affects most commonly the maxillary sinus. It is the cause of around 10% of all the maxillary sinusitis [4, 5].
What are the causes of sinus infections?
The most common are viral infections [6]. Viruses that often cause sinus infection are:
- rhinoviruses,
- influenza viruses,
- parainfluenza viruses [7].
The most common bacteria causing sinusitis are:
- Streptococcus pneumoniae,
- Haemophilus influenzae,
- Moraxella catarrhalis [7].
Fungal infections are not typical for otherwise healthy people. They are characteristic of those with weakened immunity [2, 8]. For instance, people with inborn immunodeficiencies, acquired immunodeficiencies like AIDS, or patients during chemotherapy and after organ transplantation.
Risk factors that can contribute to sinusitis are:
- allergies [6],
- irritants like smoke, dust, and polluted air [6],
- structural abnormalities in the nose, such as polyps, nasal septum deviation, tumors [9],
- tooth infection [9],
- cystic fibrosis [6],
- immunodeficiencies [6],
- frequent temperature or air pressure changes [8].
How do I know if I have a sinus infection?
Sinus infection has a range of symptoms. Among them are:
- pressure or pain in the forehead, between the eyes, next to the nose [1],
- stuffed nose and strong, cloudy, green or yellow discharge [1, 10],
- loss of smell [1],
- changes in taste [11],
- cough [1],
- fatigue and fever [1, 10],
If you experience these symptoms, it is likely that you have a sinus infection. For a definitive diagnosis, you should see a doctor, who may also diagnose the cause of the sinusitis [12].
The symptoms of acute sinusitis typically last more than 7 days, while chronic cases can last longer than 12 weeks [1].
How is a sinus infection treated?
The treatment of sinus infection depends on the cause. However, generally, it includes drinking a lot of fluids, resting, and taking over-the-counter medications. These may help to relieve the pain and nose congestion [12].
Saline nasal irrigation is a recommended part of sinus infection therapy. It is an effective way to clear nose congestion [1].
When the doctor diagnoses a bacterial sinus infection, you receive antibiotics. However, remember not to take antibiotics without the diagnosis and on your own. Antibiotics will not work if you have a viral infection [1, 12].
In some cases, you may also receive spray corticosteroids, which may reduce the inflammation in the nose [1].
If you have structural abnormalities in your nose and suffer from recurrent sinusitis, you may consider a surgical intervention for effective treatment [13].