Danger in a Kiss: Why You Should Never Kiss Newborns

• Kissing newborns can transmit the highly contagious Herpes Simplex Virus Type-1 (HSV-1), potentially leading to lifelong illness or even being fatal for infants.
• Dr. Sermed Mezher, a British doctor, warns against kissing small children, highlighting the risk of dangerous viral infections.
• HSV-1 causes cold sores and, once in the body, remains permanently, resurfacing when immunity is weak.
• Asymptomatic shedding means the virus can spread even without visible sores, making kissing unsafe even if no symptoms are present.
• Neonatal herpes, when HSV-1 infects a newborn, can rapidly spread to the brain and organs, causing viral meningitis, organ failure, and potentially death due to their underdeveloped immune system.