How many person be infected by HIV/AIDS?
October 4, 2009HIV is transmitted by direct contact with blood, semen, vaginal secretions and breast milk of those who are HIV positive. Other body fluids like urine, saliva and vomit for HIV positive persons will not spread the virus.
Three main ways are listed here:
1. Unprotected sexual intercourse. This means that no condom was used during intercourse (either vaginal or anal).
2. Exchange of blood or blood products. In this case, infected blood enters the bloodstream of another person either during blood transmission, organ donation or the use of infected needles or syringes for injected drugs.
3. Mother to child. An infected mother can transfer HIV to her child during pregnancy (blood exchange through the placenta or during delivery) or after pregnancy (through breast milk).
Can HIV be transmitted through kissing and sharing utensils?
No. It is also not transmitted through sneezing, coughing, shaking hands, hugging, insect bites, sharing toilet bowls, or working with someone who has HIV/AIDS. However, the presence of sexually transmitted diseases (STDs), especially ulcerative types, (either oral or genital) such as syphilis and herpes increases the risk of both acquiring and transmitting HIV.
What behaviors can put me at risk?
Alcohol and narcotic drugs do not transmit HIV unknbut when one takes them, undesirable behavior, such as having sex with own partners may happen and increase one’s risk to be infected with HIV. Other behaviors that can put you at risk are the following:
- unprotected sex
- unplanned sexual encounters due to drug use or alcohol intoxication
- sexually transmitted infections
- drug use, including sharing of needles, syringes or other drug-related equipment
- having multiple sex partners
- sexual intercourse with partners using drugs
REMEMBER:
Awareness and education are the best ways to protect yourself. For your safety, don’t hesitate to ask people who know more about the virus and its infectious state.
Consider that the only way to ensure that you do not contract or transmit HIV/AIDS through the sexual route is by abstaining from sex with unknown partners all together.
