Can Hiv Live Outside The Body

Can You Breastfeed If You Have Hepatitis C

You can breastfeed your baby if you have a hepatitis C infection. Researchers have never found a case where a mother with hepatitis C has passed the infection to her infant through breastfeeding.

Hepatitis C is transmitted through contact with infected blood. Breastmilk doesnt come into contact with blood. However, if your nipples or the areola are cracked or bleeding, you should avoid breastfeeding until theyre healed.

Use a breast pump to express milk until your nipples are healed, and talk with your infants pediatrician about supplemental milk. Once the cracked or scabbed areas are healed, you can resume breastfeeding.

Can You Get Hiv From Oral Sex

While there is a possible risk of getting HIV from oral sex, the documented risk remains extremely low. The CDC says that the risk is hard to quantify, because a lot of people who have oral sex have anal or vaginal sex, too.

Still, there are certain factors that may increase the potential for infection. These include coexisting sexually transmitted diseases and bleeding gums. Even then, its unlikely that a person will be infected by having oral sex. Using a condom or dental dam can further reduce the already low risk, as can taking medicine to prevent or treat HIV.

How Could You Get Hiv From Contact With Blood

The risk of HIV transmission through blood comes when the person has a detectable viral load and their blood enters another persons body or comes into contact with a mucous membrane. These are parts of the body with wet, absorbent skin such as the:

• eyes
• inside of the anus
• mouth.

Theres also a risk if blood from a person who has a detectable viral load comes into contact with a cut or broken skin, giving HIV a way through the skin and into someones bloodstream. If blood gets onto skin that isnt broken, there is no risk.

In a medical setting, its possible for HIV to be transmitted by someone accidentally cutting themselves with a blade or needle they have used to treat a person living with HIV.

This is called a needlestick injury. The risk of being infected in this way is very low. However, if someone thinks they have been exposed to HIV through a needlestick injury, post-exposure prophylaxis may be an option.

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Protecting Yourself From Hiv

Anyone who has sex without a condom or shares needles is at risk of HIV. The best way to prevent HIV is to use a condom for sex and to never share needles, syringes or other injecting equipment. Knowing your HIV status and that of your partner is also important.

You should use condoms for oral, vaginal and anal sex and pieces of latex which act as a barrier, for oral sex on the vagina or anus.

Condoms are more likely to break during anal sex, so you should use generous amounts of water-based lubricant in addition to the condom to reduce the chances of the condom breaking.

Cuts, sores and bleeding gums increase the risk of spreading HIV so you should cover any cuts or sores before sex, or avoid sex until they are healed.

It is important to continue to practise safer sex even if you, and your sexual partner, both have HIV. This is because it is possible to expose yourself to a new strain of the virus that your medicine will not be able to control.

Further advice and information is available on the link below

How Hiv Can Spread

The most common ways people contract HIV in the United States are through sharing equipment when injecting drugs and having anal or vaginal sex without barrier contraceptives. Anal sex poses a higher risk than vaginal sex, as there is a greater chance of tissue damage.

Although it is less common, HIV may pass to an infant during pregnancy, birth, or breastfeeding.

In extremely rare cases, HIV may spread if blood comes into contact with an open wound. There is a chance of this occurring if partners engage in open-mouth kissing, and both have bleeding gums or open sores within the mouth.

However, saliva that does not contain blood cannot transmit HIV. People cannot get HIV from closed-mouth or cheek kissing.

People can reduce or eliminate the chance of contracting HIV by using barrier contraceptives or taking preventive HIV therapy, known as pre-exposure prophylaxis .

PrEP is a pill that a person can take once a day to minimize the chance of contracting HIV. It may be helpful for those who:

• have a partner with HIV
• have a partner with an unknown HIV status
• have multiple partners

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Can You Get A Vaccine To Prevent Hepatitis C

Vaccines are a way to expose your body to a virus before you encounter the live virus naturally. A vaccine contains traces of a dead virus, so your body can form a memory of the virus. Your body then remembers how to attack and destroy the virus if you ever come into contact with it.

There isnt a vaccine for hepatitis C at this time. Hepatitis C has many different subtypes and strains, so creating a vaccine that protects against all the different types is complicated. Vaccines are available for both hepatitis A and B, but one for hepatitis C hasnt been approved.

If you have hepatitis C, your doctor may suggest you get the vaccine for both hepatitis A and B. These two types of viruses cause liver damage, so the added protection is a smart idea.

Can Herbal Medicine Cure Hiv

No. Some people choose to take alternative forms of medicine, such as herbal medicines, as a natural way of treating HIV. However, herbal remedies do not work.

Taking herbal medicines can be dangerous as they will not protect your immune system from infection. They may also interact poorly with antiretrovirals if you are taking them alongside treatment. The only way you can stay healthy when living with HIV is to take antiretroviral treatment as prescribed by your doctor or healthcare professional, and to attend viral load monitoring appointments to make sure your treatment is working.

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How Many Minutes Will Hiv Survive Outside The Body

If you’ve come into contact with some blood or other body fluid that you think might contain HIV, it’s understandable to have some concern about the possibility of HIV transmission. But you can rest assured that there haven’t been any cases of HIV transmission through casual contact with blood or semen that has left behind on a surface. There haven’t even been any cases after people have come across discarded syringes or needles.

This is partly because it’s extremely unusual for this situation to involve any opportunity for an infected body fluid to enter the person’s bloodstream — it does not reach a mucous membrane or an open wound.

So in practical terms, there’s little reason to worry about contact with body fluids that have already been outside a person’s body for some minutes.

There isn’t a simple, straightforward answer to the question of how long HIV survives outside the body. In certain, specific circumstances it may survive more than a few minutes. But it generally does not remain infectious and certainly does not pose a threat to people’s health.

The conditions that a body fluid is exposed to greatly affect survival. Air dries out the fluid, which contains the virus, greatly reducing viral amounts. On the other hand, in the enclosed space inside a used syringe the virus can survive some time — this explains why re-using needles and syringes is risky.

There Are Ways That One Can Contract Hiv And There Are A Number Of Ways Some Folks May Think They Can Get Hiv But They Won’t

To clear up the confusion: This virus is passed from one person to another through blood-to-blood contact and sexual contact.

You’re not at risk for contracting HIV simply by touching blood with intact skin. Washing your hands with detergent soap immediately following any potential blood contact should easily kill the virus.

In addition, there’s a risk that HIV infected pregnant women can pass the virus to their baby during pregnancy, delivery or through breast feeding.

Other body fluids that can transmit HIV to doctors, nurses and other healthcare professionals include spinal fluid joint fluid and amniotic fluid that surrounds a fetus.

According to extensive study at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, HIV does not survive well outside the body. In fact, HIV has to be grown in very large amounts to be studied in a lab setting outside the body.

As an example of just how fragile HIV is, consider this comparison: One milliliter of blood from a person with active hepatitis B may contain more than 100 million infectious particles. In a dried state, the hepatitis B virus may remain infectious for a week or more. One milliliter of blood from a person with HIV contains between a few hundred to approximately 10,000 infectious particles. Within a few hours, drying of the blood reduces the HIV viral amount by 90 percent to 99 percent.

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People Who Are At Increased Risk

HIV can affect anyone but people who are at a higher risk include:

• men who have had unprotected sex with men
• women who have had unprotected sex with men who have sex with men
• people who have had unprotected sex with a person who has lived in, or travelled in, Africa
• people who inject drugs
• people who have had unprotected sex with somebody who has injected drugs
• people who have another sexually transmitted infection
• people who have received a blood transfusion while in Africa, eastern Europe, the countries of the former Soviet Union, Asia or central and southern America

The Top 10 Questions About Hiv Answered

Medical experts weigh in on the most frequently searched questions about HIV and AIDS.

Although people know a lot more about HIV than they used to, there are still plenty of misconceptions about the virus. Unfortunately, false assumptions can increase the risk of infection and the odds of transmitting the virus to someone else. Here, then, are some myth-busting answers to the most commonly asked questions about HIV.

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Do Condoms Stop Hiv Being Passed On

Yes.Using a condom correctly prevents contact with semen or vaginal secretions , stopping HIV from being passed on. The virus cannot pass through the latex of the condom.

Condoms should only be used with a water-based lubricant as oil-based lube weakens them.

People with HIV who are on effective treatment and have an undetectable viral load cannot pass on HIV through any of their body fluids.

Its also important to remember that if you have sex without a condom other sexually transmitted infections can be passed on.

Sex without a condom can also result in pregnancy if other contraception is not being used.

Protecting Yourself And Others

In general, parents should care for the HIV- infected child in the same way they care for any child. However, you will need to do a few special things to protect yourself and others from the HIV virus.

• Use disposable gloves when coming in contact with the child’s blood or with body fluids that may contain blood.
• Wash your hands before and after touching body fluids or providing care for the child .
• Wear disposable gloves and use paper towels when cleaning up any large spills of blood or stool. Then clean the area with bleach.
• Do not let anyone share razors or toothbrushes with the infected child.
• Cover any open or oozing wounds or sores to prevent contact with bloody body fluids.
• There is no need to separate the HIV-infected child’s clothes from those of other family members unless they are heavily soiled with blood or other body fluids. Wash the child’s clothes in hot, soapy water if they are heavily soiled with blood or other body fluids.

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Can You Get Hiv From A Blood Transfusion

Receiving a blood transfusion or other products made from blood is safe in the UK as all blood products have been screened for infections such as HIV since 1985.

In countries that dont have strict checks on the safety of their blood supply, receiving contaminated blood can pass the virus on. This can also happen in countries that dont screen other blood products, organs or sperm.

Giving blood has never been a risk.

Semen Vaginal Fluids And Anal Mucus

If an HIV positive person has sex without a condom, and they do not have an undetectable viral load, HIV can get into the other persons blood because it lives in the semen, vaginal fluid and anal mucus. There does need to be a tear or graze in the other person for the HIV to enter into their body. A condom stops any fluid being passed to the other person, and it also stops unwanted pregnancy and getting other sexually transmitted infections.

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How Hiv Is Not Spread

The HIV virus is not spread through “casual contact.” Some ways HIV/AIDS is not spread are:

• Normal day-to-day contact like shaking hands, being in the same room or hugging
• Sharing plates, cups or silverware with someone who is HIV positive
• Using a phone or toilet seat after someone who is HIV positive
• Sharing a swimming pool with someone who is HIV positive

Studies show that so far no other family members of HIV- infected children have gotten the virus from casual contact. There is also no proof that young children with HIV infection are a risk to their classmates at school .

Myths About Hiv And Aids

FAST FACTS:

• There are lots of myths around, but the facts of how you can get HIV, and how you can protect yourself, are very simple.
• One of the most common myths people living with HIV hear is that they can be cured. Theres no cure yet for HIV, but antiretroviral treatment works and will keep someone living with HIV healthy.

There are lots of myths and misconceptions about how you can get HIV. Here we debunk those myths and give you the facts about how HIV is passed on

HIV can only be passed on from one person to another via the following bodily fluids:

• blood

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How Common Are False Negatives And False Positives

Thanks to the use of next-generation technologies, the accuracy of HIV testing in healthcare settings has never been greater. Still, false positives and false negatives have been known to occur, albeit infrequently.

Today, the false negative rate in the United States is only around 0.003 percent . False positive rates are even lower between 0.0004 percent and 0.0007 percent due in large part to the practice of confirming a positive result with a secondary test.

If a false negative does occur, it is often the result of premature testing during the so-called window period. This is the period of time following infection when the body has not yet produced enough protective proteins to register an accurate result. If this happens, a person may believe that they havent been infected.

While newer, combination HIV tests have significantly reduced this window period, a person will still need to wait at least three to four weeks after being exposed to the virus to get a reliable result.

Are Condoms Effective In Preventing Hiv Transmission

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention state that correct and consistent use of a latex barrier for protection during sex greatly reduces the risk of transmitting HIV. Condoms can protect the mouth, vagina, and rectum from HIV-infected semen. Latex, polyurethane, and polyisoprene condoms are effective condom materials as the virus cannot pass through them. Lambskin or natural condoms have pores small enough for HIV to pass through and do NOT prevent the spread of HIV. Using a water-based lubricant will also help in preventing condom breakage.

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Conditions By Which Hiv Can Survive

If HIV were to survive outside of the body for more than a few minutes, it could only do so under these specific environmental conditions:

• Colder temperatures: Temperatures below 39 degrees Fahrenheit are considered ideal for HIV to thrive. By contrast, HIV does not do well at room temperature and continues to decline as it reaches and exceeds body temperature .
• Ideal pH: The ideal pH level for HIV is between 7.0 and 8.0, with an optimal pH of 7.1. Anything above or below these levels is considered unsuitable for survival.
• Dried blood: HIV can survive in dried blood at room temperature for up to six days, although the concentrations of virus in dried blood will invariably be low to negligible.
• No UV exposure: HIV survives longer when is not exposed to ultraviolet radiation. UV light quickly degrades viral DNA as well as the lipids that make up the virus’ shell, rendering it incapable of attaching to and infecting other cells.

Even given these parameters, there has yet to be a documented case of infection by means of a discarded syringe in a public place.

In 2008, the largest retrospective study investigating child needlestick injuries concluded that not one case of HIV occurred following contact with a discarded needle.

Moreover, in 2015, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention could only confirm one infection by means of a needlestick injury since 1999, and that case involved a lab researcher who was working with a live HIV culture.

How You Get Hiv

HIV is found in the body fluids of an infected person,which includes semen, vaginal and anal fluids, blood, and breast milk. To get HIV, one of these fluids from someone with HIV has to get into your blood.

HIV is a fragile virus and does not survive outside the body for long. HIV is most commonly transmitted through vaginal or anal sex without a condom.

Other ways of getting HIV include:

• using a contaminated needle, syringe or other equipment to inject drugs
• transmission from a mother to her child before, during or shortly after birth however, with medical treatment it is possible to prevent the virus from being passed on by a mother to her child
• through blood transfusions however, since 1985 all blood donated in the UK must be screened for HIV – screening policies in the developing world may not be as rigorous, so there is a possible risk of developing HIV if you receive a blood transfusion in certain parts of the world
• through oral sex or sharing sex toys

HIV cannot be transmitted from:

• kissing
• being sneezed on by someone with HIV
• sharing baths, towels or cutlery with an HIV-infected person
• swimming in a pool or sitting on a toilet seat that someone with HIV has used
• animals or insects such as mosquitoes

Saliva, sweat and urine do not contain enough of the HIV virus to infect another person.

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