Cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) involves chest compressions and rescue berating.  Performing the technique ensures that the blood and oxygen keep circulating inside the body. This can help save the life of the heart attack victim.

A lot of people fear that they could contract an infectious disease by performing rescue breathing on a stranger. This fear is rational considering the increased incidence of sexually transmitted diseases (STDs). In this article, we will bust the myth surrounding rescue breathing CPR technique and the risk of contracting an STD.

Busting the Myth Regarding Rescue Breathing and STD

The fear of getting an STD due to performing rescue breathing is irrational. No cases have been reported of anyone catching an infectious disease after performing CPR. So, the fear of contracting a disease should not hold you back from performing mouth-to-mouth resuscitation.

The fact is that most bacterial and viral diseases won’t survive without blood or vaginal fluid.  Bodily fluids such as tears, saliva, or sweat do not result in transmission of a disease. That said, you should know that STD can transmit if there is a cut or injury on the mouth. Also, a disease could spread if the victim has cold sores on the lips caused by the herpes virus.

You can take measures to protect yourself against transmission of a sexual disease when performing rescue breathing. One protective measure is to wear a face shield and gloves when performing rescue breathing. The face shield can be as simple as a cloth or the upper part of a plastic bottle. Using the protective equipment will lower the chances of contracting a disease when performing mouth-to-mouth resuscitation.


The irrational fear of contracting the disease from rescue breathing should not keep you from performing CPR. The fact is there is only little chance of contracting a disease when proofing mouth-to-mouth resuscitation.  Most of the sexually transmitted diseases are not spread through physical contact. They mostly spread through the exchange of bodily fluids due to unprotected sex.

If in doubt, you should use protective equipment when performing CPR to minimize the chances of contracting a disease. Learning about the emergency technique will ensure that you are able to help a cardiac arrest or drowning victim.

The best way to learn about CPR is to take an online CPR class. You can know about the correct techniques for performing the emergency procedure. At the end of the course, you will get a certification. Getting an online first aid certification will not only enable you to assist a person in case of an emergency, it will also increase your employability. Employers value prospective employees with lifesaving skills. You can increase the odds of getting a job by getting the certification.