Ways People Become HIV Positive
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HIV Status
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When a person tests positive for HIV, this does not always mean that they currently have AIDS, which is the most severe form of HIV infection. However if someone is HIV positive, it means that the Human Immunodeficiency Virus is present in his body and could be causing damage to his immune system. As time and the virus progress, HIV could become AIDS depending on the person's immune system and treatment. HIV can be contracted in one of three primary ways of disease transmission.
Sexual Transmission
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During unprotected sexual activity, the HIV virus can be transmitted from the HIV positive partner to the other partner. This can occur in a variety of ways, ranging from having unprotected vaginal or anal intercourse without the use of a condom to having unprotected oral sex when the partner performing the act has open cuts or wounds inside the mouth cavity.
Also in some cases, genital herpes outbreaks can increase the risk of transmitting the HIV virus. In addition to practicing safe sex with the use of condoms, sexual activity should be avoided when one or both partners have open cuts or wounds on or around the genitals, or in the oral cavity.
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Blood Transmission
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The virus can also be transmitted through blood to blood contact. Sharing needles for medication injections or recreational drug use with an HIV positive individual can cause transmission of the virus between those using the shared needles.
Also those who work in medical settings with HIV positive patients, such as nurses and doctors, should avoid contact with the patients' blood. Hand washing, wearing rubber gloves, and avoiding contact directly with the blood are good precautionary steps to take.
In rare cases, the virus is transmitted during blood transfusions, but proper screening of all donated blood and blood bank supply can greatly reduce the potential for an accidental infection to occur.
Mother to Baby Transmission.
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During pregnancy, labor and birth, the child can be exposed to an HIV positive mother's fluids and potentially contract the virus. The risk of this can be reduced by testing the mother for HIV before giving birth, a Caesarean section can be performed to limit the fluids that the baby is exposed to during the birth process. The mother can also be given antiretroviral drugs during her pregnancy to reduce the risk of transmitting the virus to the fetus.
Breastfeeding poses a chance for the disease to be transmitted from mother to child. This risk can be reduced by forgoing breastfeeding and instead using baby formula in a bottle to feed the baby.
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