HIV Transmission
Video - HIV/AIDS 101 (CDC)
The blood, semen, vaginal fluid, and breast milk of people infected with HIV has enough of the virus in it to infect other people. It has not been documented as fact that HIV can be transmitted through tears and saliva, but CDC has kept saliva on the list of body fluids that require the healthcare professional to exercise standard precautions. CDC and the American Dental Association's Council on Dental Therapeutics suggest assuming that saliva containing a lot of blood could potentially carry HIV and other harmful pathogens.
An HIV infected person who has no signs of an infection or illness can still infect others.
There are four known common ways HIV is transmitted:
1. Sexual intercourse,
2. Sharing of needles and syringes,
3.Body fluids (blood, semen, vaginal fluid, and breast milk, and
4. Babies born of infected mothers and drinking breast mile of infected mot
HIV can enter the body through certain types of tissues that line the anus, vagina, or penis. It also can enter through cuts or tears in the vagina, rectum, penis, or mouth. HIV can be spread through unprotected sexual intercourse from male-to-male, male-to-female, or female-to-female. Unprotected sexual intercourse means sexual intercourse without correct and consistent use of a latex condom or any other physical barrier to HIV. It is possible to catch HIV through oral sex if there are open sores in a person's mouth or bleeding gums.
Insects such as mosquitoes, bugs or animals do not spread HIV. HIV is also not spread through casual contact of any kind such as:
1. Sharing a telephone
2.Toilet seats/ doorknobs
3. Sharing dishes
4. Holding hands, hugging, etc.
