What Ways Can You Get Hiv

For Intravenous Drugs Or Other Encounters With Needles

How is HIV Transmitted? Episode 2

Sharing needles with other people or using unsterilized needles to take illegal or IV drugs can increase your chance of contracting HIV and other conditions like hepatitis.

Here are a few methods to lower your chance of contracting HIV if you inject needles into yourself.

7. Dont share needles

Never share needles with another person. You can contract HIV even doing this just one time.

8. Use sterilized needles

You should only inject yourself with sterilized needles. There are helpful ways to make sure your needles are clean. Make sure your needles are:

new
from reputable sources like a pharmacies or medical suppliers
sanitized with bleach

How Common Is Hiv

The number of people living with HIV in the UK continues to rise. This is because more cases are being diagnosed and people are living longer due to more effective medication

The most recent statistics on the number of people in Northern Ireland living with HIV are available from the Public Health Agency website.

What Can Women Do

Talk about it. Learn the facts about HIV, and share this lifesaving information with your family, friends, and community. Let’s Stop HIV Together, part of Act Against AIDS, has many resources for raising awareness about HIV and includes many video testimonials from people living with HIV.
Start Doing It – getting tested for HIV . Knowing your HIV status gives you powerful information to help keep you and your partner healthy. If you are pregnant or planning to become pregnant, get an HIV test as soon as possible.

The most effective way to prevent HIV is to abstain from sexual activity and injection drug use. However, if you are sexually active or use injection drugs, today there are more tools available to prevent HIV. You can:

Use condoms the right way every time you have sex. Learn the right way to use a male condom or a female condom.

Read Also: Does Hiv Make Your Hair Fall Out

Hiv: How Its Transmitted

HIV is spread through certain body fluids, such as blood, semen , rectal fluids, vaginal fluids, and breast milk, according to the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services AIDS.gov website. The virus can be transmitted when these fluids in an infected person come into contact with mucous membranes in the rectum, vagina, penis, or mouth of another person.

While HIV can be spread during anal or vaginal sex, anal sex is riskier because there is more trauma and irritation to the mucous membranes, says Beverly Sha, MD, professor of medicine in the division of infectious diseases at Rush University Medical Center in Chicago.

Although the risk is low, HIV can also be spread through oral sex. HIV transmission can happen during ejaculation into the mouth, or if there are mouth ulcers, bleeding gums, genital sores, or other sexually transmitted diseases present, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

Using condoms during sex lowers the risk of HIV transmission. When they are used properly, its clear they offer significant protection, Dr. Sha says. However, condoms can fail when they break, if theyre too old, or if they are not used correctly.

The virus can also spread if infected fluids come into contact with damaged tissue, such as a cut in the skin, or if infected blood is transferred from a needle or syringe. Doing injection drugs with someone who is infected and sharing equipment is high risk. HIV can be found in a used needle for as long as 42 days.

Its Easy To Tell The Symptoms Of Hiv

The symptoms of HIV can differ from person-to-person and some people may not get any symptoms at all. Without treatment, the virus will get worse over time and damage your immune system over time. There are three stages of HIV infection with different possible effects.

Also, you also cant tell by looking at someone whether they have HIV or not. Many people don’t show signs of any symptoms. And, for people living with HIV who are on effective treatment, they are just as likely to be as healthy as everyone else.

Recommended Reading: Hiv From Dried Blood

Estimated Hiv Transmission Risk Per Exposure

The estimates below should not be considered definitive but rather serve as a means to understand the relative risk of HIV by exposure type. The numbers are based on a meta-analysis of several large-scale studies which looked specifically at per-exposure risk.

Exposure
Mother-to-child, on ART with undetectable viral load	0.1%

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.

Also Check: Does Hiv Cause Hair Loss

What Is Pep And How Does It Prevent Hiv

PEP stands for post-exposure prophylaxis. Its a series of pills you start taking after youve been exposed to HIV that lowers your chances of getting HIV. You have to start PEP within 72 hours , after you were exposed to HIV for it to work. The sooner you start it, the better. Every hour counts, so if you think you were exposed to HIV, call your nurse or doctor or go to the emergency room right away. PEP is only for emergencies it doesnt take the place of using condoms or PrEP. Read more about PEP.

Can Herbal Medicine Cure Hiv

Let’s Stop HIV Together HIV Self-Testing Demonstration

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.

Read Also: How Long Until Hiv Turns Into Aids

Hiv Treatment Side Effects

Like all drugs, ART can cause side effects. These vary, depending on the person and type of treatment. Even people taking the same HIV drugs can have different side effects. The most common are:

Weight gain

A hypersensitivity reaction to an HIV drug called abacavir which consists of liver damage or severe skin rashes, can be life-threatening. Call your doctor or get emergency care right away if you think you have a severe reaction to this or any medication you take. Before you start any drug, make sure your doctor explains what side effects to watch out for.

Treatment as prevention: The best way to stay healthy and protect others is to start and stick with treatment. When your viral load is undetectable, you will keep yourself healthy, and thereâs no chance you can pass the virus to your sexual partner.

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.

You May Like: Does Jania Have Herpes

Estimating Transmission Risk By Exposure Type

When discussing HIV risk, it’s important to first establish the four conditions that must take place in order for HIV transmission to occur:

There must be body fluids in which HIV can thrive. This includes semen, blood, vaginal fluids, or breast milk. HIV cannot thrive in the open air or in parts of the body with high acid content, such as the stomach or bladder.

There must be a route of transmission by which body fluids are exchanged. Primary routes of transmission include certain sexual activities, , healthcare exposure, or transmission from mother to child.

There must be a means for the virus to reach vulnerable cells inside the body. This can occur through a rupture or penetration of the skin or through mucosal tissues of the anus or vagina. HIV cannot penetrate intact skin.

There must be sufficient levels of virus in the body fluids. This is why saliva, sweat, and tears are unlikely sources for HIV since the concentration of the virus in these fluids is considered insufficient. Neutralizing enzymes in saliva are known to greatly diminish HIV’s ability to thrive.

Determining whether an activity is “high risk” or “low risk” is, therefore, dependent upon how efficiently an activity satisfies each of these four conditions.

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

Also Check: Does Cookie Johnson Have Aids

Can You Get Hiv Through Oral Sex

The risk of HIV from oral sex is very small unless you or your partner have large open sores on the genital area or bleeding gums/sores in your mouth.

There is only a slightly increased risk if a woman being given oral sex is HIV-positive and is menstruating. However, you can always use a dental dam to eliminate these risks.

What Is Hiv And What Is Aids

HIV/AIDS are widely known as incurable sexually transmitted diseases, but you might not know the difference between these acronyms and what they stand for.

For simplicityâs sake, HIV is the virus that causes AIDS. HIV stands for the Human Immunodeficiency Virus.

If a person takes a blood test and receives a diagnosis of HIV, then they are HIV positiveâif a person does not have HIV, then they are HIV negative. HIV causes havoc in a personâs body by weakening their immune system . HIV progressively destroys the cellular part of the immune systemâparticularly types of white blood cells called CD4 cellsâwhich, over time, makes the person become immunodeficient .

As the HIV infection develops in the body, the person will become more and more immunodeficient until they reach a point where they are classified as having Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome . This is often the end stage of an HIV infection, where a personâs body is so immunodeficient that they develop infections, diseases, or cancers and are no longer able to mount a immune defense and fight them off .

There is no cure for HIV . But, if a person does become infected with HIV there are treatments available which can help keep a person healthy.

Don’t Miss: Is Undetectable Hiv Contagious

Sharing Injection Drug Equipment

most efficiently . This is because used needles and syringes can still contain blood, which can carry the virus.

HIV is not the only virus that can be transmitted by sharing drug injection equipment. The viruses that cause hepatitis B and hepatitis C can be

having other types of sexually transmitted infections

Hiv Transmission Other Than Intercourse

How to Get Tested for HIV – Episode 4

There are many ways HIV can be contracted besides sexual intercourse.Most of them involve some kind of contact with the bodily fluid of an HIV-infected individual, since this is how the virus is carried. Bodily fluids include: blood, semen, vaginal secretions, and breast milk.

Here are but some of the ways HIV can be transmitted other than through sex:

Also Check: Atlanta Hiv Rate 2017

How Do I Avoid Getting Hiv During Sex

HIV is spread through contact with blood or sexual fluids , usually during vaginal and anal sex. So the only 100% certain way to avoid HIV is to not have vaginal or anal sex.

But most people do have sex at some point in their lives, so learning about HIV prevention and knowing how to have safer sex is important. Using condoms REALLY lowers your risk of getting HIV. If youre going to have sex, using condoms every single time is the best way to protect yourself from HIV. Theres also a daily pill you can take called PrEP that can help prevent HIV. Your doctor or nurse can tell you if PrEP is right for you.

Some sexual activities are safer than others when it comes to getting HIV. These activities are no risk theyve never caused a reported case of HIV:

masturbating
having oral sex with a condom or dental dam
using clean sex toys

These activities are lower risk theyve only caused a few reported cases of HIV :

“French or deep kissing
vaginal sex with a condom and/or PrEP
anal sex with a condom and/or PrEP
oral sex without a condom or dental dam

These activities are high risk millions of people get HIV this way:

vaginal sex without a condom or PrEP
anal sex without a condom or PrEP

Theres no vaccine that protects against HIV, but lots of people are working on making one. And there are medicines that can help prevent HIV.

How Can You Become Infected With Hiv

HIV, the human immunodeficiency virus, is the cause of the lethal immunodeficiency syndrome AIDS. In this country, the infection is usually in unprotected sexual intercourse. The virus is also transmitted when infected blood reaches mucous membranes or directly into the bloodstream, or when HIV infected mothers give birth and breastfeed a baby.

In the acute phase of infection , flu-like symptoms such as fever, fatigue, malaise and headache usually occur. In the second phase of the infection, the so-called latency phase, one does not feel physical symptoms. In this latency phase, the virus multiplies and infects the cells of the immune system. On average, this phase lasts for 9-11 years. However, the duration of the latency phase varies greatly from patient to patient. In the third phase, the symptoms of AIDS-related complex appear, similar to those in the acute phase. However, these flu-like symptoms do not differ, in contrast to the acute phase.

What are the most important protective measures against the HIV virus?

The three safe sex rules:

Sleep together always with a condom .
No semen, no menstrual blood in the mouth, no semen or blood swallowing.
If itching, burning or discharge to the doctor.

HIV and drug addicts

Blood transfusions

HIV-infected women who have a baby.

You May Like: Does Aids Make Your Hair Fall Out

Can I Get Hiv From Anal Sex

Anal sex is the riskiest type of sex to get or transmit HIV. Whereas the receptive partner has a higher risk due to the rectums thin lining, the insertive partner is also at risk as HIV can open the body through the opening of the tip of the penis , the foreskin , or small cuts, scratches, or open sores anywhere on the penis.

Hiv Is An Infection That Can Lead To Aids

HIV stands for Human Immunodeficiency Virus. Its a virus that breaks down certain cells in your immune system . When HIV damages your immune system, its easier to get really sick and even die from infections that your body could normally fight off.

About 1.1 million people in the U.S. are living with HIV, and more than 38,000 new infections happen every year. Most people with HIV dont have any symptoms for many years and feel totally fine, so they might not even know they have it.

Once you have HIV, the virus stays in your body for life. Theres no cure for HIV, but medicines can help you stay healthy. HIV medicine lowers or even stops your chances of spreading the virus to other people. Studies show that using HIV treatment as directed can lower the amount of HIV in your blood so much that it might not even show up on a test when this happens, you cant transmit HIV through sex.Treatment is really important . Without treatment, HIV can lead to AIDS. But with medicine, people with HIV can live long, healthy lives and stop the spread of HIV to others.

Also Check: What Does Antiretroviral Therapy Do Brainly

Can Mosquitoes Spread Hiv

Though mosquitoes transmit several diseases, HIV is not one of them.

There are a few reasons for this. While it may seem like mosquitoes have a needle-like snout, the part that looks like a needle is comprised of six mouthparts four of these are used to pierce human skin, and the other two parts are composed of two tubes. This two-tubed system is part of why mosquitoes cannot transmit HIV. One part sends saliva into the host, and the other part sends blood to the mosquito. Thus, HIV-positive blood that a mosquito may have previously ingested is never transmitted to other humans.

Another reason is that, unlike other mosquito-borne diseases, HIV is unable to replicate within the mosquitos gut. As such, the virus does not have a way of replicating or migrating to the mosquitos salivary glands. Thus, the HIV particles are destroyed during the digestion process. Finally, HIV circulates at low levels in human blood, far lower than necessary to create a new infection through a mosquito bite. If it were possible for a mosquito to transmit HIV-positive blood into a new human, it would take near 10-million mosquito bites to transmit one unit of HIV.