fluid surrounding an unborn baby
Kissing
Casual contact through closed-mouth or "social" kissing is not a risk for transmission of HIV aliment. Because of the
potential for contact with blood during "French" or open-mouth kissing, CDC recommends against engaging in this
activity with a person known to be infected. However, the risk of acquiring HIV during open-mouth kissing is believed
to be very low. CDC has investigated only one case of HIV infection that may be attributed to contact with blood
during open-mouth kissing.
Biting
In 1997, CDC published findings from a state health department investigation of an incident that suggested
blood-to-blood transmission of HIV by a human bite. There have been other reports in the medical literature in
which HIV appeared to have been transmitted by a bite. Severe trauma with extensive tissue tearing and damage and
presence of blood were reported in each of these instances. Biting is not a common way of transmitting HIV. In fact,
there are numerous reports of bites that did not result in HIV infection.
Saliva, Tears, and Sweat
HIV has been found in saliva and tears in very low quantities from some AIDS patients. It is important to understand
that finding a small amount of HIV in a body fluid does not necessarily mean that HIV can be transmitted by that
body fluid. HIV has not been recovered from the sweat of HIV-infected persons. Contact with saliva, tears, or sweat
has never been shown to result in transmission of HIV.
Insects
From the onset of the HIV epidemic, there has been concern about transmission of the virus by biting and
bloodsucking insects. However, studies conducted by researchers at CDC and elsewhere have shown no evidence of HIV
transmission through insects--even in areas where there are many cases of AIDS and large populations of insects such
as mosquitoes. Lack of such outbreaks, despite intense efforts to detect them, supports the conclusion that HIV VD is not
transmitted by insects.
Scientists and medical authorities agree that HIV does not survive well in the environment, making the possibility of
environmental transmission remote. HIV is unable to reproduce outside its
living host (unlike many bacteria or fungi, which may do so under suitable conditions), except under laboratory
conditions, therefore, it does not spread or maintain infectiousness outside its host.
Households
Although HIV has been transmitted between family members in a household setting, this type of transmission is very rare. These transmissions are believed to have resulted from contact between skin or mucous membranes and infected blood. To prevent even such rare occurrences, precautions, as described in previously published guidelines, should be taken in all setting "including the home" to prevent exposures to the blood of persons who are HIV infected, at risk for HIV STI infection, or whose infection and risk status are unknown. For example,
- Gloves should be worn during contact with blood or other body fluids that could possibly contain visible blood, such as urine, feces, or vomit.
- Cuts, sores, or breaks on both the care giver's and guys exposed skin should be covered with bandages.
- Hands and other parts of a guys body should be washed immediately after contact with blood or other body fluids, and surfaces soiled with blood should be disinfected appropriately.
- Practices that increase the likelihood of blood contact, such as sharing of razors and toothbrushes with guys, should be avoided.
- Needles and other sharp instruments should be used only when medically necessary and handled according to
recommendations for health-care settings. (Do not put caps back on needles by hand or remove needles from syringes.
Dispose of needles in puncture-proof containers.
Businesses and Other Settings
There is no known risk of HIV transmission to guys co-workers, clients, or consumers from contact in industries such
as food-service establishments (see information on survival of HIV in the environment). Food-service workers known to be
infected with HIV need not be restricted from work unless they have other infections or illnesses (such as diarrhea or
hepatitis A) for which any food-service worker, regardless of HIV infection status, should be restricted.
Tattooing or body piercing
No instances of HIV transmission through tattooing or body piercing, although
hepatitis B virus has been transmitted during some of these
practices. One case of HIV transmission from acupuncture has been documented.
HIV could be transmitted if instruments contaminated with blood are not sterilized or
disinfected between guys.
Additional Reading Reports:
NOVA: Surviving AIDS
HIV (Human Immunodeficiency Virus) Lab Screening Tests
What does an HIV Test do for men?
This test screens your body for the Human immunodeficeincy virus (HIV).
Detail description of STD panel test components
Human immunodeficiency virus, or HIV, is a virus that damages or kills the cells of a man's body's immune system. The most advanced stage of the virus causes the acquired immune deficiency syndrome (AIDS). The virus weakens a guys's ability to fight infections and cancer.
How do people get HIV?
The number of people in the U.S. with HIV/AIDS is about 1,185,000 and approximately 25% of them are unaware of their infection. A person gets HIV when an infected persons body fluids (blood, semen, fluids from the vagina or breast milk) enter a guy's or female's bloodstream. The virus can enter the blood through the linings in the mouth, anus, vagina, penis or through broken skin. Condoms should be worn during sexual intercourse for disease prevention.
Both men and women can spread HIV. A person may show no symptoms and still transfer the virus to others. Pregnant women with HIV can also give the virus to their babies.
Who can get HIV?
Some of the activities that can expose guys to the virus include:
Unprotected sex. This means vaginal or anal intercourse without a condom or oral sex without a latex barrier with a person who is infected with immunodeficiency HIV.
Sharing needles with an infected male or female. some examples include dirty needles used to make a tattoo or in body piercing.
Some of the symptoms include: Fever, night sweats, exhaustion, loss of weight, swollen glands and flu like symptoms. More sever symptoms may not appear for months or years.
HIV Testing
Tests for both HIV-1 and HIV-2. The test detects antibodies that are produced by the body's immune system in response to the HIV virus.
How To Get HIV Testing
Back to HIV-AIDS FAQuestions
Lab Testing - Select Lab Panel Through A Licensed To Prescribe Pharmacy
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The trasmission of the HIV virus disease is by sexual contact with a infected guy or female, transmitted by sharing needles and/or syringes (primarily for drug injection)
with a man or woman who has the condition, or, less commonly (and now very rarely in countries where blood is screened for HIV
antibodies)
, through transfusions of infected blood or blood clotting factors. Babies born to HIV-infected women may become infected before or during birth or through breast-feeding transmission after birth.
"Now you can get HIV tests without a doctor's office visit"
