How Does a Man Get HIV?

Men are at risk for contracting HIV in two major ways: through unprotected penetrative sex with an infected person and by sharing hypodermic needles and injection paraphernalia with an infected individual. There are, however, steps that men can take to protect themselves and others.

Vaginal Sex

• HIV is found in vaginal secretions, and a man who has unprotected vaginal sex with an HIV-positive woman is at risk of contracting HIV. Women are more commonly infected during unprotected vaginal intercourse, but this is not a risk-free behavior for men.

Anal Sex

• A man who has unprotected anal sex with an HIV-positive man is also at risk of contracting HIV. According to the website Avert, both the insertive and receptive partners are at risk of infection from unprotected anal sex.

Oral Sex

• A man who performs oral sex on either an HIV-positive woman or man can contract HIV. This is less common than infection from unprotected vaginal or anal intercourse, but infection can occur in the event of a cut, abrasion or sore in the mouth.

Drug Use

• Using shared equipment to inject drugs is a risky behavior for the contraction of HIV. Although not an injected drug, crack cocaine can cause burns and sores when the drug is heated. These sores are conduits for infection, according to Avert.

Prevention

• Barriers (condoms, female condoms and dental dams) should be used correctly for vaginal, anal and oral sex. IV drug users should use sterile works and not shared needles to lower their risk for infection.

Testing

• Men who believe they have been exposed to HIV should seek out testing at least one month after suspected infection; this is the average time it takes to develop a detectable level of antibodies to HIV. The CDC's National HIV and STD Testing Resources helps individuals locate testing centers based on a number of different criteria (see Resources below).