Science Buzz Turns out that kissing is a biological imperative: Science shows it helps boost our immunities to certain diseases. Want to beat the Cytomegalovirus, a bug that is carried in saliva and is usually harmless but can cause major problems during pregnancy. So here's what science says: “Female inoculation with a specific male's cytomegalovirus is most efficiently achieved through mouth-to-mouth contact and saliva exchange, particularly where the flow of saliva is from the male to the typically shorter female.”