Ways HIV can be transmitted | HIV Transmission | HIV Basics | HIV AIDS

You can get HIV if you have anal sex with someone who has HIV without using protection (such as condoms or medicines to treat or prevent HIV).

• Anal sex is the riskiest type of sex for getting or transmitting HIV.
• Being the receptive partner (below) is riskier than being the insertive partner (above).
• The risk of the bottom is higher because the lining of the rectum is thin and can allow HIV to enter the body during anal sex.
• The upper part is also at risk. HIV can enter the body through the opening at the tip of the penis (urethra); the foreskin if the penis is not circumcised; or small cuts, scratches, or open sores anywhere on the penis.

You can get HIV if you have vaginal intercourse with someone who has HIV without using protection (such as condoms or medicines to treat or prevent HIV).

• Vaginal sex is less risky for contracting HIV than receptive anal sex.
• Either of you can get HIV during vaginal sex.
• HIV can enter a person’s body during vaginal sex through the delicate tissue that lines the vagina and cervix.
• Vaginal fluid and blood can carry HIV, which can pass through the opening at the tip of the penis (urethra); the foreskin if the penis is not circumcised; or small cuts, scratches, or open sores anywhere on the penis.

HIV can be passed from a mother to her baby during pregnancy, childbirth, or breastfeeding. However, it is less common due to advances in HIV prevention and treatment.

• Is called perinatal transmission either mother to child transmission.
• Mother-to-child transmission is the most common way that children contract HIV.
• Recommendations to test all pregnant women for HIV and start HIV treatment immediately have reduced the number of babies born with HIV.
• If a woman with HIV takes HIV drugs as prescribed during pregnancy and delivery, and gives her baby anti-HIV drugs for 4 to 6 weeks after birth, the risk of transmission may be less than 1%.

You are at high risk of contracting HIV if you sharing needles, syringes, or other drug injection equipment (for example, you cook) with someone who has HIV. Never share needles or other equipment to inject drugs, hormones, steroids, or silicone.

• Used needles, syringes, and other injection equipment can have someone else’s blood on them, and blood can transmit HIV.
• People who inject drugs are also at risk of contracting HIV (and other sexually transmitted diseases) if they engage in risky sexual behavior such as having unprotected sex (such as condoms or medicines to prevent or treat HIV).
• Sharing needles, syringes, or other injection equipment increases the risk of contracting hepatitis B and hepatitis Cand other infections.

There is little or no risk of contracting HIV from the activities below. For transmission to happen, something very unusual would have to happen.

oral sex

• Oral sex consists of putting the mouth on the penis (fellatio), the vagina or vulva (cunnilingus) or the anus (rimming).
• Factors that can affect the risk of contracting HIV include:
• You can get other STDs through oral sex. If feces gets into your mouth during anilingus, you may have Hepatitis A and hepatitis Bparasites like giardiaand bacteria like Shigela, Salmonella, Campylobacterand E.coli.

Workplace

• The most likely cause is an injury from a contaminated needle or other sharp object.
• Careful practice of standard precautions protects patients and healthcare personnel from possible occupational transmission of HIV.

Medical attention

• The US blood supply and donated organs and tissues are carefully screened. It is highly unlikely that you will contract HIV through blood transfusions, blood products, or organ and tissue transplants.
• You cannot get HIV from donating blood. Blood collection procedures are highly regulated and safe.

food contamination

• The only known cases are among babies. Contamination occurs when blood from a caregiver’s mouth mixes with pre-chewed food and is eaten by a baby.
• You cannot get HIV from eating food handled by someone with HIV.

bite and spit

• The small number of documented cases have involved severe trauma with extensive tissue damage and the presence of blood. This rare transmission can occur through contact between broken skin, wounds, or mucous membranes and blood or body fluids from a person who has HIV.
• There is no risk of transmission through intact skin.
• There are no documented cases of HIV transmission through saliva, since HIV is not transmitted through saliva.

deep open mouth kisses

• Very rarely, transmission has occurred if both partners have sores or bleeding gums.
• You cannot transmit HIV through closed-mouth or “social” kissing with someone who has HIV.
• HIV cannot be transmitted through saliva.

Touching

• Touching involves putting your hands, other body parts, or sex toys into your partner’s vagina, penis, or anus.
• The only possible risk would be if bodily fluids from a person with HIV touch the mucous membranes or damaged tissue of someone without HIV. Mucous membranes are found inside the rectum, vagina, opening of the penis, and mouth. Damaged tissue could include cuts, sores, or open wounds.
• You can get or pass on some other STDs (such as human papillomavirus or HPV, Genital herpesand syphilis) through skin-to-skin contact.
• If you touch someone’s anus and get feces on your hands or fingers, you can also catch or transmit Hepatitis A and hepatitis B. Infection with parasites such as giardia and bacteria like Shigela, Salmonella, Campylobacterand E.coli it can also happen.

Tattoos and body piercings

• There are no known cases in the United States of someone contracting HIV this way.
• It is possible to get HIV through tattoos or body piercing if the equipment or ink contains someone else’s blood. This is more likely to happen when the person performing the procedure is not licensed because they can use non-sterile needles or ink.
• If you get a tattoo or body piercing, make sure the person performing the procedure is properly licensed and uses only new or sterilized equipment.