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HIV transmission can occur when blood, semen (cum), pre-seminal
fluid (pre-cum), vaginal fluid, or breast milk from an infected person
enters the body of an uninfected person.
HIV can enter the body through a vein (e.g., injection drug use), 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 (e.g.,
eyes or inside of the nose), or cuts and sores. Intact, healthy skin is
an excellent barrier against HIV and other viruses and bacteria.
These are the most common ways that HIV is transmitted from one
person to another:
- by having sex (anal, vaginal, or oral) with an HIV-infected
person;
- by sharing needles or injection equipment with an injection drug
user who is infected with HIV; or
- from HIV-infected women to their 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.
Some health-care workers have become infected after being stuck
with needles containing HIV-infected blood or, less frequently when
infected blood comes in contact with a worker's open cut or is
splashed into a worker's eyes or inside their nose. There has been
only one instance of patients being infected by an HIV-infected dentist
to his patients.
REFERENCE
CDC. HIV and AIDS: Are You at Risk?
Content Source:
Divisions of HIV/AIDS Prevention
National Center for HIV/AIDS, Viral Hepatitis, STD, and TB Prevention
© 2007 Abesha Care Inc. All Right Reserved. office@abeshacare.org
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