Search 5,000,000+ questions and answers.

Frequently Asked Questions

How is HIV transmitted?

Frequent Questions
For more information visit How is HIV passed from one person to another? (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention)
Related Questions

San Francisco AIDS Foundation: Frequently Asked Questions Ab...
Blood contains the highest concentration of the virus, followed by semen, followed by vaginal fluids, followed by breast milk. Infections due to blood transfusions, accidents in health care settings or certain blood products are possible, although they are extremely rare nowadays in the United States.
Related Questions

AIDS Athens | HIV/AIDS Frequently Asked Questions
from HIV-infected women to babies before or during birth, or through breast-feeding after birth. HIV also can be transmitted through receipt of infected blood or blood clotting factors. However, since 1985, all donated blood in the United States has been tested for HIV. Therefore, the risk of infection through transfusion of blood or blood products is extremely low. The U.S. blood supply is considered to be among the safest in the world.
Related Questions

American Social Health Association - Learn about STDs/STIs
HIV can be transmitted through the blood, sexual fluids (semen, preseminal fluid, or vaginal fluid) or breast milk of an HIV-infected person. People can get HIV one of these fluids enters the body by way of the mucous membranes (the soft, moist skin found in any opening of the body) or the blood stream. The disease can be passed during unprotected vaginal, anal or oral sex with a HIV-infected person.
Related Questions

HIV/AIDS Frequently Asked Questions
HIV, the virus that causes AIDS, is primarily a sexually transmitted disease. It can be passed: during sexual contact (vaginal, anal, or oral); by sharing needles; from mother to infant; or rarely through blood transfusions (blood is tested for HIV and other STDs before being put into the blood supply. HIV is NOT transmitted through casual contact like living or working with an infected person.
Related Questions

Can HIV be transmitted during oral sex?

Frequently Asked Questions
Although the risk of infection during oral sex is considered lower than during vaginal or anal intercourse, HIV may be transmitted during oral sex through contact with vaginal secretions, semen, pre-ejaculation fluid, and blood.
Related Questions

Can HIV be transmitted in breast milk?

Frequently Asked Questions
HIV can be transmitted from a nursing mother to her infant through breast milk. Women who live in countries where safe alternatives to breast-feeding are readily available and affordable can eliminate the risk of transmitting the virus through breast milk by bottle-feeding their babies. In developing countries, however, where such safe alternatives are not readily available or economically feasible, breast-feeding may offer benefits that outweigh the risk of HIV transmission.
Related Questions

Can HIV be transmitted through oral sex?

AIDS Athens | HIV/AIDS Frequently Asked Questions
It is possible to transmit HIV through oral sex. Contact with bodily fluids through open or broken membranes can the cause the body to be vulnerable to exposure.
Related Questions

Can HIV be transmitted through a cough or a sneeze?

Frequently Asked Questions
Although some viruses (such as the common cold or influenza) are spread through aerosol droplets when an infected person sneezes or coughs, HIV is not transmitted in this manner.
Related Questions

back to top] 4. How is HIV transmitted?

HIV FAQ (Frequently Asked Questions)
The virus must be present; meaning an individual must be infected with HIV in order to infect others. The virus needs access into the other person's bloodstream. HIV is introduced into the bloodstream through open cuts or sores and through contact with mucus membranes. Transmission is most likely when exposed to body fluids that have high concentrations of the virus. Blood, mother's milk, semen and vaginal fluid discharged during sexual activity can contain high concentrations of the virus.
Related Questions

How is HIV transmitted/spread?

ASG
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.
Related Questions

Y.R.G.CARE - FAQs
Anyone can become infected with HIV. It is transmitted only through unprotected penetrative sex (vaginal, anal, oral) with an infected partner, transfusion of infected blood and blood products, contaminat ed needles and syringes, and from an infected mother to her baby before, during delivery or through breast milk. But since the sexual route accounts for almost 80 percent of infections, the prevalence is much higher in the sexually active age group of 15 years to 40 years.
Related Questions

HIV Alliance
Unprotected sex is the most common way that HIV is spread. You can get HIV by infected blood. Research has proven that you cannot get the virus through saliva, kissing, sharing food utensils or other casual contact. HIV is found only in four fluids; blood (including menstrual blood), semen, vaginal fluids and breast milk.
Related Questions

Health & Development Initiative : A Not for Profit Organ...
The HIV virus must get into the bloodstream in order to infect you. If it doesn't get into the bloodstream, you will not get the infection. Blood, pre-cum, semen, vaginal secretions, or breast milk must have direct access to your bloodstream in order to infect you. Activities where this can happen include vaginal intercourse, anal intercourse, giving oral sex, sharing needles (IV, tattoo etc), and rarely through receiving a blood transfusion. HIV can also be transmitted from mother to child.
Related Questions

AIDS Educator: Frequently Asked Questions - FAQ
Breast milk Blood contains the highest concentration of the virus, followed by semen, followed by vaginal fluids, followed by breast milk. Direct blood contact, including injection drug needles, blood transfusions, accidents in health care settings or certain blood products Sexual intercourse (vaginal and anal): In the genitals and the rectum, HIV may infect the mucous membranes directly or enter through cuts and sores caused during intercourse (many of which would be unnoticed).
Related Questions

N2N : HIV/AIDS FAQ and Answers
HIV transmission can occur when blood, semen, pre-seminal fluid, vaginal fluid or breastmilk from an HIV-positive person enters the body of an HIV-negative person. HIV can enter the body through a vein, the lining of the anus or rectum, the lining of the vagina and/or cervix, the opening to the penis, the mouth, other mucous membranes -- such as the eyes or inside of the nose -- or cuts and sores. Intact, healthy skin is an excellent barrier against HIV and other viruses and bacteria.
Related Questions

Eastern Cape Department of Health - Frequently Asked Questio...
HIV is transmitted through unprotected sexual intercourse with an infected partner. HIV can also be transmitted through infected blood or blood products, such as blood transfusions, or by the sharing of contaminated needles. Further HIV can be transmitted from a mother to her unborn child. This is called Mother to Child Transmission (MTCT) and it not only occurs before birth, but also during delivery, or through breast-feeding.
Related Questions

Common Questions (Preconception, Fertility, Pregnancy, Labor...
The most common risk factors are illicit intravenous drug use and unprotected sexual activity among current or previous multiple partners. Other risk factors include prostitution, blood transfusion (although better screening in the United States has reduced this risk), bisexual activity, coming from a country with a high incidence of HIV or having a history of sexually transmitted diseases. Most women (about 52%) contract HIV through the use of infected needles while abusing illicit drugs.
Related Questions

The AIDS Network
Blood contains the highest concentration of the virus, followed by semen, followed by vaginal fluids, followed by breast milk. In order for an individual to become infected an infectious fluid must enter the bloodstream.
Related Questions

Job Accommodation Network
HIV is passed from one person to another through blood-to-blood and sexual contact. HIV transmission can occur when blood, semen, vaginal fluid, or breast milk from an infected person enters the body of an uninfected person. HIV can also be transmitted through transfusions of infected blood or blood clotting factors (Since 1985 all donated blood in the U. S. has been tested for HIV therefore the risk for transmission is extremely low) (CDC, 2005).
Related Questions

Walgreens | Walgreens Specialty Pharmacy Services | HIV/AIDS
Most commonly, HIV is spread by sexual contact with an infected partner. The virus can enter the body through the lining of the vagina, vulva, penis, rectum, or mouth during sex. HIV can infect anyone who practices risky behaviors such as sharing drug needles or syringes, and/or having sexual contact with an infected person (or with someone whose HIV status is unknown) without using a latex condom.
Related Questions

Common Ground Westside
Casual contact such as touching, shaking hands with, hugging, and holding hands with someone who has HIV does NOT transmit HIV. Indirect contact such as touching toilet seats, touching door knobs, using towels, sheets, hot tubs, swimming pools, and eating utensils that have been touched or used by someone with HIV does NOT transmit HIV.
Related Questions

Wise @ Work FAQ
Direct blood contact (needle sharing, transfusions, accidents in health care settings, certain blood products)
Related Questions

Ramapo College of New Jersey || Gay Peer Services
A person who is HIV-infected carries the virus in certain body fluids, including blood, semen, vaginal secretions, and breast milk. The virus can be transmitted only if such HIV-infected fluids enter the bloodstream of another person. This kind of direct entry can occur (1) through the linings of the vagina, rectum, mouth, and the opening at the tip of the penis; (2) through intravenous injection with a syringe; or (3) through a break in the skin, such as a cut or sore.
Related Questions

Got A Question? Ask Our Community!


More Questions >>

© Copyright 2007-2008 QueryCAT
About • Webmasters • Contact