Can we kiss rabbit on lips?

Transmission

Cases of human hantavirus infection occur sporadically, usually in rural areas where forests, fields, and farms offer suitable habitat for the virus’s rodent hosts. Areas around the home or work where rodents may live (for example, houses, barns, outbuildings, and sheds) are potential sites where people may be exposed to the virus. In the US and Canada, the Sin Nombre hantavirus is responsible for the majority of cases of hantavirus infection. The host of the Sin Nombre virus is the deer mouse (Peromyscus maniculatus), present throughout the western and central US and Canada.

Several other hantaviruses are capable of causing hantavirus infection in the US. The New York hantavirus, carried by the white-footed mouse, is associated with HPS cases in the northeastern US. The Black Creek hantavirus, carried by the cotton rat, is found in the southeastern US. Cases of HPS have been confirmed elsewhere in the Americas, including Canada, Argentina, Bolivia, Brazil, Chile, Panama, Paraguay, and Uruguay.

Can pets transmit HPS to humans?

The hantaviruses that cause human illness in the United States are not known to be transmitted by any types of animals other than certain species of rodents. Dogs and cats are not known to carry hantavirus; however, they may bring infected rodents into contact with people if they catch such animals and carry them home.

How People Become Infected with Hantaviruses

In the United States, deer mice (along with cotton rats and rice rats in the southeastern states and the white-footed mouse in the Northeast) are reservoirs of the hantaviruses. The rodents shed the virus in their urine, droppings, and saliva. The virus is mainly transmitted to people when they breathe in air contaminated with the virus.

When fresh rodent urine, droppings, or nesting materials are stirred up, tiny droplets containing the virus get into the air. This process is known as “airborne transmission“.

There are several other ways rodents may spread hantavirus to people:

If a rodent with the virus bites someone, the virus may be spread to that person, but this type of transmission is rare.
Scientists believe that people may be able to get the virus if they touch something that has been contaminated with rodent urine, droppings, or saliva, and then touch their nose or mouth.
Scientists also suspect people can become sick if they eat food contaminated by urine, droppings, or saliva from an infected rodent.

The hantaviruses that cause human illness in the United States cannot be transmitted from one person to another. For example, you cannot get these viruses from touching or kissing a person who has HPS or from a health care worker who has treated someone with the disease.

In Chile and Argentina, rare cases of person-to-person transmission have occurred among close contacts of a person who was ill with a type of hantavirus called Andes virus.

People at Risk for Hantavirus Infection

Anyone who comes into contact with rodents that carry hantavirus is at risk of HPS. Rodent infestation in and around the home remains the primary risk for hantavirus exposure. Even healthy individuals are at risk for HPS infection if exposed to the virus.

Any activity that puts you in contact with rodent droppings, urine, saliva, or nesting materials can place you at risk for infection. Hantavirus is spread when virus-containing particles from rodent urine, droppings, or saliva are stirred into the air. It is important to avoid actions that raise dust, such as sweeping or vacuuming. Infection occurs when you breathe in virus particles.

Potential Risk Activities for Hantavirus Infection

Opening and Cleaning Previously Unused Buildings

Opening or cleaning cabins, sheds, and outbuildings, including barns, garages and storage facilities, that have been closed during the winter is a potential risk for hantavirus infections, especially in rural settings.

Housecleaning Activities

Cleaning in and around your own home can put you at risk if rodents have made it their home too. Many homes can expect to shelter rodents, especially as the weather turns cold. Please see our prevention information on how to properly clean rodent-infested areas.

Work-related Exposure

Construction, utility and pest control workers can be exposed when they work in crawl spaces, under houses, or in vacant buildings that may have a rodent population.

Campers and Hikers

Campers and hikers can also be exposed when they use infested trail shelters or camp in other rodent habitats.

The chance of being exposed to hantavirus is greatest when people work, play, or live in closed spaces where rodents are actively living. However, recent research results show that many people who have become ill with HPS were infected with the disease after continued contact with rodents and/or their droppings. In addition, many people who have contracted HPS reported that they had not seen rodents or their droppings before becoming ill. Therefore, if you live in an area where the carrier rodents, such as the deer mouse, are known to live, take sensible precautions-even if you do not see rodents or their droppings.

KISS ME Nº1 White Rabbit

Formulated with orchid extract and cotton oil. Cares and protects the lips with a great moisturizing, protective, repairing and anti-free radical power, increasing cell activity and reducing the appearance of wrinkles. In addition to being a balm, this lipstick is designed also to smooth the strongest colours and thus achieve the intensity you prefer with the same formula.

€28.00
KISS ME Nº1 White Rabbit is available to buy in increments of 1

All the ingredients have eco-certification, except for the red pigment, which is classified as food colouring matter.

Orchid extract – This component is extracted from the flower of the species of Orchis Mascula, which grows mainly in Mediterranean Europe, the North of Africa and the Southwest of Asia. Its flower is usually of purple colour, with lighter shadows and small dark spots, though it can also be found in a white colour. It contains a high number of mucilages that give it moisturising, emollient properties, which makes these flowers an appropriate ingredient for both moisturising cosmetic products and products for the hair and also for specific products to be used in sensitive skin.

Orchid extract is rich in minerals such as zinc, calcium, magnesium, iron and copper, and also contains a high percentage of anthocyanin pigments that in vitro act as free radical scavengers or inhibitors; this results in an antioxidant and anti-irritant action, so they are ideal to be considered in the formulation of both anti-ageing cosmetic products and for thin sensitive skin.

Cotton oil – It is extracted by cold pressure from the cotton plant seeds and its composition includes most remarkably fatty acids -mainly linoleic, palmitic and oleic-, vitamin D and tocopherol, which is one of the existing forms of vitamin E.

We will first focus on fatty acids, as they are particularly interesting for us. Why? Because the human body cannot synthesise them and we must obtain them from the outside, basically through diet. In case of lack of these essential fatty acids, our body reacts with scaling, dryness and impairment of the skin in general; from these symptoms, we wanted to investigate in the laboratory how our skin would act if oils containing fatty acids were applied topically, and it was shown that these problems improved noticeably, so they are used in both dermatology and in cosmetics.

Tocopherol (vitamin E) is an antioxidant with the capacity to protect the fatty acids present in cell membranes from oxidative impairment. Therefore, its presence is highly valuable in moisturisers and anti-ageing products.

In summary, the cosmetic properties to be highlighted in cotton oil are its capacity to restore the barrier function of the epidermis and its anti-inflammatory and antimicrobial actions.

Mango butter – It is obtained from the mango fruit seed, as with other vegetable butters such as those of cacao and shea; for instance, and, also like them, it is particularly rich in essential fatty acids -in particular oleic acid- that, as explained above, are very interesting for our skin. It also contains polyphenols, carotenes and vitamins and it has the characteristic that it is absorbed fast, so it does not leave an oily sensation. It has skin emollient, smoothing, nourishing, healing and regenerating properties and is generally used in products for the care of both the skin and the hair and in colour cosmetics.

Shea butter – It is taken from nuts or seeds of this tree and is used as food to prepare traditional meals and sauces in some African countries, but also for cosmetic purposes to care for the skin and hair. Its composition includes essential fatty acids -at a higher percentage oleic and stearic-, vitamins A, D and E, minerals -calcium, magnesium and iron, amongst others- and catechins; all of this gives nourishing, antioxidant, soothing, smoothing and healing properties. In addition, upon applying it on the skin it can form an invisible film that prevents dehydration. This oil or butter is used in many cosmetic preparations for the face, body and hair, and even in solar products for both before and after the sun exposure.

Abyssinica seed oil – Abyssinia was also the name of the ancient empire of Ethiopia that existed between the years 1137 and 1974 and later became the country today known simply as Ethiopia. The oleaginous plant called Crambe Abyssinica has its origin there and is still grown there, as well as in other countries of the Mediterranean basin. Although the oil of its seeds has been already present in cosmetics for the skin and hair for several years, it is still a poorly known ingredient, though not less interesting.

It is very rich in Omega 3, Omega 6 and Omega 9 fatty acids and its cosmetic properties are excellent for mixed and oily skins, because it penetrates easily and does not leave an oily sensation; on the contrary, it provides a satin effect that is favourable for the skin. It is moisturising, nourishing and smoothing and an excellent pigment dispersant, so it is ideal for the formulation of these lipsticks.

Jojoba oil – Jojoba is a shrub from the area that includes North-Eastern Mexico and the south of Arizona and California. Jojoba oil is extracted from its seed, and is very rich in monounsaturated fatty acids and vitamin E. It is an excellent carrier, both to mix with other oils and with essential oils and for the formulation of cosmetic products for both the skin and the hair. It is a non-comedogenic oil, that is, it does not clog skin pores, so it can be used in any type of skin, even in oily ones. Its ceramides are very similar to those of our skin, which makes it an ideal element for repairing and strengthening the cell structure of the epidermis, cleaning and regulating oil production and avoiding dehydration. It also has antioxidant, wetting, antibacterial, antifungal and anti-inflammatory properties.

Almond oil – As most vegetable oils, this component is rich in essential fatty acids and, in this case, vitamins A, B, D and E which, to begin with, ensures hydration, nourishing and regenerating capacity for the skin. Almond oil is often included in the formulation of many cosmetics, but, as it is a very soft, light oil, it is also used directly as a massage oil and as a carrier for specific aromatherapy treatments -for the body or the face -, adding to it the adequate essential oils in each case.

For further information, please also read the post: The beauty of almonds.

Castor oil – This oil is taken from the seeds of castor oil plant; it is very rich in the Omega 9 fatty acid called ricinoleic, which has anti-inflammatory, antifungal and antibacterial properties and vitamin E, which adds the property of being antioxidant. It has a rather viscous texture, so it can be used as make-up remover and is not comedogenic, so it does not clog pores or leaves an oily sensation. It is also used to strengthen the eyelashes and the nails.

Cocoa butter – This butter is obtained during the chocolate preparation process when separating by pressure this fat part form the rest of the cocoa bean. If you have ever wondered how chocolate keeps for so long without impairing, the answer is its high content in vitamin E of cocoa butter, that makes it a potent antioxidant and that, in the case of chocolate, prevents it from going rancid. All this vitamin E, in addition to the rest of fatty acids contained in this butter, give it antioxidant, protective, wetting, lubricant, healing and regenerating properties, which are ideal for the very thin lip skin.

Beeswax – As its name suggests, this wax is segregated by bees to build the hexagonal nests forming their honeycombs. Wax is collected and refined, preferably using the heating and filtering method, and gets ready to be used. It has multiple uses in many types of industries, but the most common is probably its use in cosmetics and pharmacy. It has a significant smoothing, anti-inflammatory and protective capacity that makes it particularly suitable for sensitive skin.

Candelilla wax – t is a wax of vegetable origin, taken from a plant called Euphorbia Cerífera that grows in Mexico, specifically in the Chihuahuan Desert. Its properties are similar to those of beeswax, but it is somewhat harder, and its protective action stands out; it is very appreciated in the cosmetic industry where it is used for the formulation of lipsticks, providing consistency, and in other products for body and hair care.

Sappan bark – Caesalpinia Sappan or Indian redwood is a species of tree coming from the Southeast of Asia, to which different properties and uses are attributed. In this specific case where the extract of its bark is used, its antibacterial and skin conditioning properties are used, in addition to producing a reddish colour that makes it also appropriate for the manufacture of red colouring matters.

Vegetable squalane – Squalane (or squalene) is a natural organic compound that acts oxygenating cells, providing them with nutrients and protecting them from oxidation. It is present in our skin, but this presence decreases with age, so it is a component generally used in cosmetics to counteract this progressive loss and is also used in pharmacology. It was originally taken from shark liver oil, hence its name, squalane (as Squalus is a genus of sharks); however, squalane can also come from plant sources, such as olive oil, that is used in Kiss Me lipsticks.

For the actions discussed above, this compound acts as regenerator and moisturiser by helping limit the loss of moisture from the skin.

Natural micas – These are silicates of different minerals, characterised by their brightness, which makes them very interesting for various uses, including use in make-ups to which it provides radiance, and their high fragility, which makes it easier to turn them into a very thin powder which is contained in multiple cosmetic products and natural make-up.

Titanium dioxide – It is a chemical compound and one of the inorganic pigments most commonly used in several types of industry. In cosmetics it is generally used because it reflects light and gives the skin a better look, but it is even more interesting for its capacity to absorb ultraviolet light, as it makes it an excellent sunscreen.

Stevia and vanilla flavour – Both products have been used in Kiss Me lipsticks to balance the flavour and odour of lipsticks, though without dominating, but for the purpose of achieving a neutral flavour. They also provide lipsticks with the properties of stevia, which is antioxidant, antiseptic and healing.

Potassium Sorbate and Sodium Benzoate – They are two food preservatives approved by Ecocert (organic certification organisation).

Natural pigments based on iron oxides – Pigments also approved by Ecocert and used to achieve the different colours of the lipstick collection.

Synthetic red pigments classified as food colouring matters – Yes, a synthetic element. And you will wonder, why? Because they avoid the use of the carmine pigments obtained crushing an insect called cochineal and because, as they are also for food use, we make sure that they do not contain aluminium.

Water and wax and vegetable glycerine – These are other ingredients used to mix the formula, achieve the adequate texture of the lipsticks and, in the case of vegetable glycerine, provide extra smoothness to the product.