HIV/AIDS, How It Is Transmitted?

HIV/AIDS is the most dangerous of all sexually transmitted Diseases (STDs). in 2022, after 41 years for HIV known to us, still many persons are confused about the spread ways of the virus.

Transmission of HIV/AIDS

• Sexual contact – Most commonly HIV infection spread through sexual contact with an infected person. How does the virus enter the body? It enters the body through mucous membranes, (the lining surfaces), of the vagina, vulva, penis, rectum, or mouth during sexual activity. The virus can be found in body fluids of the patient, like blood, semen and vaginal secretions.

• Blood contaminated sharp tools – HIV may also be spread through contact with infected blood. However, due to the screening of blood for evidence of HIV infection, the risk of acquiring HIV from blood transfusions is extremely low. But you can be infected if your injured by a sharp tool contaminated with infected blood, which is also rare due to modern sterilization procedures.

• Needles
  – Between drug addicts: HIV is frequently spread by sharing needles, syringes, or drug use equipment with someone who is infected with the virus.
  – healthcare worker: Transmission from patient to healthcare worker, or vice-versa through accidental sticks with contaminated needles or other medical instruments, is rare.

• Mother-infant – HIV also can be spread to babies from infected mothers. Transmission can be during childbirth or breastfed.

Can adult be infected by HIV/AIDS from breast milk of HIV woman?

• Short answer: adults are not infected by breast milk, while infants can be infected.
• Breast Milk breast milk is one of the few bodily fluids in which potentially infectious levels of HIV can actually exist. But infection of adults, with HIV/AIDS, cannot be through ingestion of breast milk.
• The actual risk of transmission of HIV through breast milk is not really known. Butit is known that HIV doesn’t spread to adults through breast milk, because the amount of HIV from that milk is not significantly enough to cause an infection in adults even if you have broken mucous membranes in your mouth linings.
• Why infants? The reason can be that HIV in breast milk isn’t enough to overcome the adult immune system, while the case is different in infants.

Can Saliva spread HIV/AIDS

• Saliva is another body fluid where the virus can be found. Kissing, where saliva is involved, doesn’t spread HIV/AIDS.

How HIV Cannot Be Spread?

HIV has never been shown, (no cases in record), to be passed from one person to another by the casual means, including:

• Casual contact with others: Touching, hugging, kissing, or shaking hands with HIV patients.
• Contact with objects:
  – Touching an object, an HIV-positive person has touched before you.
  – Sharing utensils or cups with HIV persons.
• Living with HIV patients:
  – Eating food prepared by an HIV-positive person.
  – Sharing grooming items, even toothbrushes or razors.
  – Getting spit on by an HIV-positive person (even in the eyes or mouth).
  – Getting bitten by an HIV-positive person (even if with wounds and blood).
  – Touching body fluids from infected person (semen, vaginal fluid, saliva, and others).
  – Getting blood from an HIV-positive person on your body.
• Public life:
  – Using public fountains, toilet seats, or showers, even used before by HIV infected persons.
  – Mosquitoes, bug bites or insect bites.

Rare sources of HIV transmission

• Oral sex, tattooing, piercing, and dental procedure are rare sources of HIV transmission. Although transmission is possible in theory, but in real life there is no documented cases of transmission by any of these means. Moreover, modern ways of sterilization procedures make transmission very rare.
• Organ transplant and Blood Transfusion: Also, the risk of HIV from organ transplants and blood transfusion is rare due to the modern routine screening applied for these procedures.

SUMMARY

HIV/AIDS can be spread by the following: Sexual contact, Contaminated blood and needles. Do other body fluids spread HIV? but other body fluids like breast milk and saliva cannot spread infection to adults.

If you are worried you may have been exposed to HIV after lactation play, it’s OK to get an HIV test and consult Helal Medical. It’s highly unlikely you’ve contracted HIV in this way, but your peace of mind matters.

SOURCES

• Can HIV be transmitted through breast milk? – PubMed (nih.gov)
• https://stanfordhealthcare.org/medical-conditions/sexual-and-reproductive-health/hiv-aids/causes.html
• https://www.cdc.gov/breastfeeding/breastfeeding-special-circumstances/maternal-or-infant-illnesses/hiv.html
• https://www.bmj.com/content/374/bmj.n1697