Facts on Spreading HIV

HIV must cross the body's blood barrier in sufficient quantity to trigger an infection. There are a limited number of ways this can happen, and knowing how HIV can and cannot be transmitted can help protect yourself and others.

Bodily Fluids

• HIV is only found in the following bodily fluids in a concentration high enough to trigger infection in another person: blood, semen, vaginal fluids and breast milk, according to the San Francisco AIDS Foundation. Other bodily fluids contain small amounts of HIV but not enough to trigger an infection.

Sexual Transmission

• HIV can be transmitted through unprotected penetrative sex, including vaginal, anal and oral. Oral transmission is more rare but could occur if one partner had an open cut or sore in her mouth.

Transmission through Needles

• Using shared hypodermic needles, as in injection-drug use, can lead to infection with HIV. Health care workers can also be exposed through needle-stick injury, in which a needle used on an HIV-positive person accidentally sticks the doctor or nurse.

MTCT

• Mother-to-child transmission (MTCT) can occur during pregnancy, childbirth or breastfeeding.

Nontransmission

• HIV cannot be transmitted through the air, or from using shared facilities or dishes. You cannot contract HIV from hugging or casually kissing an HIV-positive person. Steps taken in developed nations have wiped out transmission risk from donated blood and organs.

Prevention

• Steps can be taken to reduce all forms of transmission, including the correct and consistent use of condoms, and using clean and unshared needles. Pregnant women can be prescribed antiretroviral drugs to reduce their chances of MCTC and are also advised not to breastfeed.