How Do You Catch HIV/AIDS?
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Transmission Through Sexual Contact
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HIV/AIDS may be spread through both heterosexual and homosexual activity. Through unsafe, unprotected sex, virus-laden body fluids, such as semen and vaginal secretions, can enter a person's body. Though it may not look like a person has any open wounds, blisters or broken skin through which HIV could enter the body, that may not be the case. The very act of sex often creates small fissures in the vaginal or anal passages. Two ways to greatly reduce or eradicate risk are to use a latex condom or abstain from sexual activity altogether.
Nonsexual Infection
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According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, other methods of HIV transmission include the sharing of dirty needles between drug addicts; infected blood reaching a cut or mucous membrane; or blood transfusions, though this is very rare. Babies with HIV-infected mothers may become infected before or during birth or by breastfeeding.
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HIV Transmission Myths
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You cannot get HIV through the following methods: using a toilet after an HIV carrier, touching a used feminine product, through a bug bite or breathing in the virus. It's also very unlikely you'd be infected through kissing, even if it is open mouthed. The HIV virus doesn't survive well in the open air, which precludes a lot of these methods from passing on the illness. There is also no known risk of HIV being passed on from casual workplace or home contact. While there have been cases of infection from a home environment, these were usually the result of careless handling of blood or blood products by a family member.
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Resources
- Photo Credit 2006 Robert Miller/Creative Commons
