Shocking truth behind doctor's warning about kissing a dead person at funerals
Dr Viktor Ivanovik, a Moldovan physician with over 1.2 million followers on TikTok, claimed that dangerous bacteria start growing on corpses just nine hours after death.
In the clip titled 'Never kiss a dead person!' Ivanovik said that coming into contact with this bacteria could cause the kisser to lose their sense of smell and suffer cardio-respiratory problems.
' Do not kiss the deceased on their final journey, especially in the summer or in the room where the lifeless body is placed if there is no air conditioning,' Ivanovik said.
'Kiss the deceased when the lifeless body is in the custody of an air-conditioned morgue at an appropriate temperature,' he added.
The controversial advice has set off a wave of debate, with mourning families on social media slamming the advice as insensitive, and fact-checkers calling the doctor's claims exaggerated.
However, Dr Stuart Fischer, a New York City-based internist, declared the claims to be nonsensical and simply not possible, given the amount of immune defenses the human body contains.
'In any given person, there are many different types of good bacteria, but they all serve a purpose. It would be like having 100,000 secret service agents to guard someone,' Dr Fischer told DailyMail.com.
'In other words, the bacteria would be outnumbered, and they would die quickly because of the immune system of the supposedly newly infected person,' Dr Fischer said.
Dr Ivanovik's claims have spread fear that someone's final goodbye could spread potentially deadly pathogens like Staphylococcus or Clostridium.
'How come I've never heard of this before in my life as a physician for 45 years?' Dr Fischer asked.
'That means that the loved ones would die or be hospitalized within a day or two. I don't believe it's happening,' he continued.
The World Health Organization (WHO) agreed with Dr Fischer's take on the TikTok claims, noting that even after a natural disaster, 'there is no evidence that corpses pose a risk of epidemic disease.'
'Most agents do not survive long in the human body after death. Human remains only pose a substantial risk to health in a few special cases, such as deaths from cholera or hemorrhagic fevers,' WHO added in a statement.
While Dr Ivanovik may have a massive following online, his medical credentials could not be verified by multiple media outlets, both in the US and Europe.
Dr Fischer added that Ivanovik's TikTok video did not take into account the professional manner in which bodies are preserved for funerals in modern times.
'For burials, the funeral directors take things like this into account also,' Dr Fischer revealed.
'There would certainly have been cases of this before. This is not something where you could suddenly have a brand new epidemic of something,' he added.
While the doctor didn't personally endorse kissing a deceased loved one at a funeral, he noted that there was nothing medically wrong with choosing to do so if it brings a grieving relative comfort.
Although Ivanovik's TikTok post was liked by many of his followers, others rejected his advice, saying that their final moment with a dead relative was worth any risks.
'I kissed my father, and I would do it a million times more! I can even lose my taste and smell, he's my father!' one person replied.
'Honestly, I don't think anyone can resist kissing their parent on the hand or forehead, one last time,' another poster commented.
'It's hard when you break up with someone you love. For example, a child, mother, father, brother, etc. Maybe you're right, scientifically, but, in such a situation, it's hard,' a social media user added.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
The Independent
42 minutes ago
- The Independent
This fuzzy animal friend may be the key to treating schizophrenia
Llamas – likely without red pajamas – may hold the key to treating schizophrenia. The serious brain disorder causes people to interpret reality abnormally, and affects approximately 3.7 million U.S. adults between the ages of 18 to 65 years old, according to the nonprofit RTI International. But the domesticated South American woolly animal might be be able to help. French researchers said this week that they had used llama antibodies, or proteins that help to protect the immune system, to design a tiny fragment of an antibody known as a 'nanobody' that will trigger a neurotransmitter in the brain involved in regulating neural activity. Neurotransmitters are chemical molecules that carry messages or signals from one nerve cell to the next target cell, according to the Cleveland Clinic. No llamas were harmed in the study and researchers can identify nanobodies in a petri dish. In the past, llama antibodies have also proven effective in fighting Covid and other 'SARS-like' viruses. When scientists at the Institute of Functional Genomics injected the molecule into the veins or the muscles, it was able to break the blood-brain barrier and effectively reach brain receptors. The barrier is a a tightly locked layer of cells that defend your brain from harmful substances. Studying the impact of the nanobodies in two tests using mice, the researchers found that they corrected cognitive deficits that were observed. There was an improvement of cognitive function with just one shot, and a prolonged effect over one week. Clinical studies are now required to show that their findings could be a new avenue of treatment for schizophrenia. "In humans obviously we don't know [yet], but in mice yes, it is sufficient to treat most deficits of schizophrenia," molecular biologist Jean-Philippe Pin told Newsweek.. He was a co-author of the research which was published in the journal Nature. Pin said that medications currently given to schizophrenia patients "treat the symptoms well, but less the cognitive deficits." The cause of the chronic condition remains unknown, but the World Health Organization says it is thought that an interaction between genes and a range of environmental factors may be the reason. The exact prevalence of schizophrenia is difficult to measure. Some have tied cases in Canada to cannabis use. Although schizophrenia can occur at any age, people are typically diagnosed between the ages of 16 and 30. Symptoms vary from person to person. There is no cure, but it can be treated through antipsychotic medications, talk therapy, and self-management strategies, the National Alliance on Mental Illness says. The study's authors hope to add this strategy to the list. 'This research confirms the potential of nanobodies as a new therapeutic strategy for acting on the brain, with their use eventually being broadened to include the treatment of other neurological illnesses,' the institute said in a statement.
Telegraph
43 minutes ago
- Telegraph
‘One tiny scratch from rabid puppy killed mum'
The daughter of a British woman who died of rabies after she was scratched by a puppy on holiday in Morocco has revealed the 'horrendous' symptoms she suffered. Yvonne Ford went months without realising she had been infected by a puppy that was underneath her sunbed in February, said her daughter Robyn Thomson, 32. Ms Ford, 59, from Barnsley, started suffering from a 'horrendous' headache and was admitted to hospital four months later. Within days, she could not walk, talk, sleep or swallow. She started hallucinating and developed a fear of water, classic symptoms of rabies. The grandmother of four was transferred from Barnsley to Royal Hallamshire Hospital in Sheffield where she was eventually diagnosed with rabies. She died on June 11. Her daughter, a neonatal nurse, said: 'There was no blood and no evidence of the dog being unwell. 'It was such a mild scratch and it never got infected so we just thought nothing of it at the time. Mum came home and everything was normal. We went to Florida as a family and she went fishing with my dad.' In June, the symptoms began and she 'came down with this horrendous headache'. She added: 'Soon, she couldn't sleep, she couldn't walk, she couldn't talk. She was hallucinating and had a fear of water. 'She couldn't swallow. She was choking on her own saliva. So doctors put her in an induced coma.' The UK Health Security Agency has warned that holidaymakers should exercise caution around animals in countries where the disease is present. Egypt, Turkey and Albania are among the destinations that the Government has ascribed as 'high risk'. It advises that all visitors to rabies-affected countries 'should avoid contact with dogs, cats and other animals wherever possible, and seek advice about the need for rabies vaccine prior to travel'. Costa Rica, Bali, Mexico, Vietnam and South Africa are also rated 'high risk'. It took a week for Ms Ford to be diagnosed. 'There's only one outcome for rabies once symptoms develop and it's death every time. So we had to turn off her life support,' said her daughter. Ms Ford's family later found out that it normally takes a few months for rabies symptoms to show – but the disease can incubate for up to two years. She added: 'Mum was the most loving person imaginable. She was a huge animal lover so for her to have died of rabies, it is just particularly horrendous.' Now, Ms Thomson wants to spread awareness and help stop it at the source via a charity mission in Cambodia. She is flying out to the south-east Asian country this October to volunteer with Mission Rabies – an award-winning charity that leads mass dog vaccination campaigns, rabies surveillance and vital community education across Asia and Africa. Their goal is to vaccinate at least 70 per cent of the dog population to achieve herd immunity and stop rabies at its source, while also educating children on how to recognise rabid animals and stay safe. To volunteer with Rabies Mission, Ms Thomson needs to raise money to cover the cost of travel, accommodation and project fees. She said: 'This is something I need to do. If I can save even one life through this work, or spare one family from going through the pain we have experienced, then it will be turning a terrible negative into something positive. 'I'm determined to transform my grief into action – helping vaccinate dogs, support surveillance efforts and deliver life-saving lessons in schools.'
The Guardian
an hour ago
- The Guardian
Group confronted suspect who stabbed 11 at a Michigan Walmart, video shows
Several passersby helped apprehend a knife-wielding suspect who stabbed 11 people at a Walmart in Michigan, video has revealed. Footage circulating on social media showed several citizens in Traverse City confronting a 42-year old man outside the supermarket on Saturday during the attack. Among the people confronting the suspect included an armed citizen who could be seen pointing his gun at the man. 'Throw it away!' some of the passerby could be heard yelling, with others saying: 'Put it down!' and 'Get on the fucking ground.' One passerby could be seen pushing a shopping cart towards the suspect. Moments later, law enforcement could be seen arriving on scene and arresting the man. Speaking to Channel2Now, Walmart employee Tasha Nash said: 'It was a guy with a knife – people were screaming and running in all directions … I saw someone stabbed in the eye.' Another shopper, Kathryn Ann Clark, told the outlet and her friend's son and another shopper helped confront the suspect. 'It was definitely a stabbing,' Clark said, adding: 'There were no shots fired, just brave people stepping in.' Eleven victims were treated at the nearby Munson Medical Center. On Sunday, the hospital said that there were 'encouraging signs of recovery' among the victims. According to the hospital, seven people are in fair condition and four are in serious condition. There are no longer any patients from the attack who are in critical condition, the hospital added. In a statement released on Sunday, the hospital said: 'Our dedicated team of physicians, surgeons, nurses, clinicians, and support staff remain focused on providing a healing environment for all those affected by this tragic incident … Additionally, we are working on providing additional emotional support for our employees in light of this incident. We extend our continued support to the victims and their families during this very difficult time.' Michigan's governor, Gretchen Whitmer, said that she was aware of the attack, writing on X: 'Our thoughts are with the victims and the community reeling from this brutal act of violence. I am grateful to the first responders for their swift response to apprehend the suspect.'
