HIV is transmitted through contact with the blood, semen, vaginal secretions or breast milk of an HIV infected person.

The virus can occur naturally in some wild migratory water birds, such as ducks and geese, which do not get sick from the virus but can carry it to other birds. Domestic poultry such as chickens and turkeys can get bird flu. These bird flu viruses pose no serious threat to human health.

Although studies have found tiny amounts of HIV in the saliva of some people with HIV, researchers have found no evidence that HIV is spread to other people through kissing. However, the CDC recommends against "French" or open-mouthed kissing because of the possibility of contact with blood if the people kissing have any cuts or sores in the mouth.

a) Through semen, vaginal fluids or blood during unprotected sexual intercourse with an infected person

The vaccine virus (Vaccinia) is spread by touching a vaccination site before it has healed or by touching bandages or clothing that have become contaminated with live virus from the vaccination site. Vaccinia is not spread through airborne contagion. Proper handling of the vaccine site includes these three key points: If you touch either the site or materials in contact with the site by accident, clean your hands right away.

All natural H5N1 highly pathogenic avian influenza (HPAI) infections in domestic cats reported to date appear to have been associated with outbreaks in domestic or wild birds and acquired through ingestion of raw meat likely infected with the H5N1 HPAI virus. Fortunately, there is no evidence to date that domestic cats play a role in the natural transmission cycle of H5N1 HPAI viruses.

There is not enough information available about H5N1 highly pathogenic avian influenza (HPAI) infection in dogs to know how infection would develop. Domestic cats in Europe appear to have become infected by eating infected poultry or wild birds. Details concerning a case of H5N1 infection in a dog in October 2004 were recently published; the dog was infected after it ate the carcass of an infected duck. View the report on the CDC Web site.

Influenza virus is mainly spread when a sick person coughs or sneezes into the face of another person. It can also spread by touching contaminated surfaces and then touching your face.

Recent research at the Centres for Disease Control (CDC) in the United States has added weight to the mass evidence that blood-feeding insects do not transmit HIV. Although scientific and epidemiological evidence has been available for several years, the public still expresses concern that blood-feeding insects could pass the virus from an infected person to an uninfected one.

HIV transmission can occur when blood, semen (including pre-seminal fluid or "pre-cum"), vaginal fluid, or breast milk from an infected person enters the body of an uninfected person. HIV can enter the body through the anus or rectum, the vagina, the penis, the mouth, other mucous membranes (e.g., eyes or inside of the nose), cuts and sores or through a vein (e.g., injection drug use). Intact, healthy skin is an excellent barrier against HIV and other viruses and bacteria.

No. Only 121 cases have occurred in the current outbreak despite huge numbers of birds being affected and numerous associated opportunities for human exposures, especially in backyard flocks. It is not understood why some people but not others become infected with similar exposures.

To help prevent its spread, many Governments and health officials are working hard to bring about a greater civilian awareness of the dangers of avian flu and the importance of swift precautionary action when new cases are identified or infections suspected in both birds and/or humans.

Mumps is spread by contact with discharges from the nose and throat. Coughing, sneezing, sharing drinks and kissing can spread these discharges. The virus can be spread from about seven (7) days before glands become swollen, to nine (9) days after. A person who is infected with mumps virus but does not have any symptoms can still spread the virus to other people

HIV infection most often has no symptoms. Flu-like symptoms often occur four to twelve weeks after infection when seroconversion generally takes place. Symptoms are variable, but include swollen glands in the neck and armpits, fatigue, fever, thrush, night sweats, weight loss, gynocologic disorders (in women) including yeast infections and PID. For more detailed information, go to, Symptoms of HIV.

The reasons for such a rapid spread of the epidemic across the country are migration of labour, low literacy level leading to a low level of awareness among potential high risk groups, gender disparities, sexually transmitted infections, reproductive tract infections and social stigma.

No, it is not possible to get HIV from mosquitoes. Blood is food for the mosquito and it goes directly into its stomach. When taking blood from someone mosquitoes do not inject blood from any previous person. The only thing that a mosquito injects is saliva, which acts as a lubricant and enables it to feed more efficiently.

WNV is spread to humans by the bite of an infected mosquito. A mosquito becomes infected by biting a bird that carries the virus. You or your child cannot get WNV from a person who has the disease. WNV is not spread by person-to-person contact such as touching, kissing, or caring for someone who is infected.

There is no evidence that bird flu is a risk to dogs. Recently, there have been reports of a canine influenza virus in the U.S. but this is a different flu virus that affects only dogs. There is evidence from the Asian outbreak that the bird flu virus might affect cats fed raw poultry, but there is currently no cause for concern because the virus is not present in the U.S.

Use of infected poultry manure as fertiliser in agriculture and agriculture, and as feed in fish-farms and pig farms Most outbreaks in south-east Asia can be linked to movements of poultry and poultry products (or infected material from poultry farms, such as mud on vehicles, or peoples' shoes).