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This version of NSU News has been archived as of February 28, 2019. To search through archived articles, visit nova.edu/search. To access the new version of NSU News, visit news.nova.edu.
This version of SharkBytes has been archived as of February 28, 2019. To search through archived articles, visit nova.edu/search. To access the new version of SharkBytes, visit sharkbytes.nova.edu.
Halmos Faculty Looks at How Many Bacteria are in a Kiss
For Valentine ’s Day, Telemundo aired a special segment called “Amenaza Escondida” or “Hidden Threats” on their show Al Rojo Vivo. Recently, a publication showed that up to 80 million bacteria are transferred during a 10-second kiss. The episode tested that possibility. The show’s producers found three couples and collected saliva samples from each before and after kissing for 10 seconds.
The samples were delivered to Halmos faculty member Julie Torruellas Garcia, Ph.D. member of the Department of Biological Sciences, Torruellas Garcia determined that in the first couple the woman’s bacteria increased by more than 200% while the man’s bacteria decreased by 20%. In the second couple, the woman’s bacteria increased by more than 60% and the man’s bacteria increased by 200%. In the third couple, the woman’s bacteria decreased, but the man’s increased. These numbers showed how it is possible that bacteria can be transferred in a long kiss.
For more information: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ijc66lJfV5E
