TRANSMISSION OF HIV
HIV can be transmitted through bodily fluids such as:
- blood (including menstrual blood)
- semen
- vaginal fluids
- breast milk
HIV can only be passed to another person if these contaminated fluids enter their body. HIV cannot be transmitted through saliva as the level of virus is too low in this fluid.
HIV can also be transmitted by:
Having unprotected sex
- Having unprotected vaginal or anal intercourse with an HIV-positive person is considered high risk and is the most common route of spread of HIV in South Africa.
- Anal intercourse is the riskiest sexual behaviour since there is inevitably some skin abrasion leading to small tears through which the virus can pass.
- Oral sex may be unsafe if there are small cuts in the mouth and/or gum.
Risk of HIV transmission through unprotected sex applies to all couples, whether you are in a heterosexual or same-sex relationship. Women are more at risk of being infected by an HIV-positive male partner than men from an HIV-positive female partner.
Mother-To-Child Transmission
Mothers living with HIV can run the risk of transmitting the virus to their baby during pregnancy, labour, delivery or breastfeeding. This is called Mother-To-Child Transmission (MTCT).
Intravenous drug use
Injecting drug users who share contaminated needles or syringes are at risk of HIV infection. When a person injects drugs, a small amount of blood remains inside the needle and/or syringe. If the person is infected with HIV, the virus remains in the needle or syringe and when others use the same needle, they directly inject the infected blood into their bloodstream.
Use of contaminated blood and blood products
In the past (before screening was introduced) HIV transmission occurred through blood transfusions or infected blood products used to treat haemophilia. Nowadays all donated blood is screened to prevent transmission.
Occupational exposure
Through accidents in the workplace, healthcare workers or carers of people with HIV and AIDS may come into contact with contaminated body fluids or may have a needle stick injury. The HI virus does not survive well outside the body, so the risk for healthcare workers is small.
You cannot get HIV from:
- hugging
- casual kissing
- saliva, tears or sweat
- touching
- sharing a home or utensils
- touching a toilet seat, telephone or doorknob
- mosquitoes or other insects
Reference
METROPOLITAN FOUNDATION. 2009. B the Future cellbook. South Africa.