Expert: J.P. Saleeby, MD - 10/2/2001

Question
Hi there...!
    I am a 21 year old girl and am into acting.I am really sorry, but i cannot reveal my name for personal reasons.I have just won a big title in a beauty contest and am getting a lot of Movie offers.
    I have already signed 4 to 5 movies with the leading actors in the movie with big directors and big names involved.
    Now the problem is that, there are a few scenes in EVERY MOVIE , where the actor (WHO MAY OR MAY NOT HAVE AIDS)....and I have to do DEEP KISSING (SMOOCHING) and kissing the body parts.(no serious sex scenes are involved).In almost every movie...there are atleast 4 to 5 DEEP KISSING scenes and after speaking to the director i have learnt that i have to do ACTUAL DEEP KISSING in the movies.(I mean is NOT artificial..its true and ACTUAL SEXUAL DEEP KISSING).These kissing scenes CANNOT BE CHANGED OR CANCELLED.....according to the director, they have to be in the movie are very common in  movies.
  I have just entered the movie industry and I CANNOT WITHDRAW from my career since very few people get to work with top people so early in their careers.And i have also learnt that NOBODY....(AND I MEAN ABSOLUTEL NO ONE APART FROM ME) is worried about the transmission of AIDS/STD/AND STI from deep kissing. I have not told any one that i am worried about it....since it would result in a embarassment and i may loose my opportunities.But it seems that every one is COOL about the issue and NO BODY even thinks about such a possibility exists...that U CAN GET INFECTED FROM DEEP KISSING.I AM THE ONLY ONE WORRIED IN THE WHOLE SEA OF ACTORS AND ACTRESSES...AND I CANT EVEN TELL ANY ONE ABOUT IT....SINCE SMOOCHING IS SO VERY COMMON THESE DAYS.
    We are not gonna conduct any oral or hiv test before the KISSING SHOTS...( and since it has never been done ever ..right from the origin of movies)..asking such BIG STARS WHO ARE SENIOR TO ME IN ALL RESPECTS.. to do an hiv test is really BEYOND IMAGINATION AND ALMOST IMPOSSIBLE (And another problem is that..u cant even get A PROPER REPORT after doing an hiv test even i ask them to do it.....since it takes 3 TO 6 months for the virus to show up..since ur last sexual encounter.)...So if my co-star has slept around with some body else (*WHICH IS SO COMMON AND HAPPENS FREQUENTLY IN FILM  INDUSTRY)... ..the hiv test is also gonna be of NO USE.
     Now i had read some time back that deep kissing can be dangerous regarding transmission of AIDS/HIV and other STD'S AND STI'S.
     I dont understand what to do.....I CANT LEAVE SUCH BIG MOVIES TO GO OUT OF MY HAND...and i am also WORRIED THAT I MUST NOT GET AIDS THROUGH THE KISSING SCENES DONE WITH DIFFERENT STARS.
    Now that i have entered the movie industry ...DEEP KISSING with different Actors is gonna be a PART OF MY CAREER LIFE...ALL MY LIFE..and i dont want to STAY WORRIED ALWAYS (that i may get Aids) ..LIKE THE WAY I AM WORRIED RIGHT NOW...BECAUSE I CANNOT CONCENTRATE WHEN I AM WORRIED SO MUCH ABOUT MY LIFE...

.SO I HUMBLY  REQUEST U TO (ASSUME THAT MY CO-STAR HAS AIDS) AND PLEASE TELL ME :

1> WHAT SHOULD I DO? I AM VERY CONFUSED AND DEPRESSED AND WORRIED.BOTH FOR MY PERSONAL LIFE AND FOR MY CAREER LIFE(in which i WILL HAVE TO KISS)....I CANT AFFORD TO COMPROMISE ON ANY OF THEM.I WANT BOTH....AN AIDS FREE LIFE AND A GLAMOROUS SUCCESSFUL MOVIE CAREER.

2> ALL THE POSSIBILITIES requited for  a person to get  AIDS through DEEP KISSING?....(plz tel me in detail..as to which of the partners (the person having aids or the person not having aids...?) needs  to have cuts/bleedings ?...how LARGE the cut/bleeding need to be? ..for the transmission to take place.

3>What  precautions should i take to ERADICATE or atleast MINIMISE my chances of getting AIDS through DEEP KISSING..(like for eg: not brushing my teeth right before the scenes ...etc...?)

4> MOST ACTORS AND ACTRESSES SLEEP AROUND WITH DIFFERENT PARTNERS (IN THEIR PERSONAL LIFE) AND SO THERE IS A POSSIBILITY THAT THEY MAY HAVE AIDS AND THEY ARENT AWARE OF IT......SO DO U THINK ALL THOSE PEOPLE KISSING EACH OTHER ARE RISKING THIER LIVES..? (ALTHOUGH THE RISK IS LOW BUT ITS STILL THERE...ITS NOT TOTALLY 100 % SAFE RIGHT?)

    Sir, i know my letter is very long involving many COMPLEX questions...but please..FOR CHRIST SAKE ...DONT IGNORE MY EMAIL.I AM IN A REAL DESPERATE SITUATION WITH NO ONE TO SPEAK WITH AND U ARE MY ONLY HOPE.
    SO PLEASE REPLY ME IN DETAIL (point wise if possible..the way i have asked)...COVERING ALL ASPECTS AND POSSIBILITIES,

Thanking you,

Yours Faithfully,

ACTRESS.

Email add: sweetwillpower@yahoo.com

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Answer
Dear Movie Star**,

HIV is a major problem in the USA.  So is Hepatitis B and C and HSV, GC and Chlamydia.  All of these can be transmitted by sexual contact.  Casual kissing has never been shown to "spread" the virus.  However deep penetrating kissing MAY if a few things exist.  If there is any bleeding in and around the mouth from microabrasions, cuts and abrasions on the lips, cold sores (oral HSV), gingival disease (bleeding gums), recent dental extractions... all so far mentioned can transmit HIV, HSV, HepB/C...., recent infections such as pharangitis (Chlamydia, GC can be transmitted).

Remember the HIV virus does not survive long in Saliva....Hep B & C can survive on a counter top for a month.  

Recommendations:  Prevention is paramount.... know the actor well.  Keep records of who and when and how much you kissed them!  Get your self tested for HIV, Hep B&C GC, Chlamydia and Syphilis ASAP and keep the documentation for your records in case you have to pursue legal action.  Remember transmitting HIV is considered assault if the carrier knows about his infection and does not tell a potential "victim".  Keep good oral hygine, brush, floss and NEVER do a part if you have bleeding gums or sores on your lips.  Make some excuse not to do the scene.  After shooting a scene rinse your mouth out with plain water (cold) so as not to allow vasodilitation.  Using chemical agents like alcohol or peroxide or 10% bleach is too extreme.

Report any illness, viral infection or sore throat at once to your doctor.  Check an HIV every 6 months if you keep getting exposed.

Feel free to consult me for ways to increase your immune system via certain nutrients and herbs at www.longevity-institute.com

Good Luck....

JP Saleeby, MD
jpsaleeby@aol.com