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How does HIV Infection Spread?

Whether you are HIV+ or HIV-, it is always important to know how HIV is spread. If you are HIV+, knowing a few simple facts can help you prevent passing on HIV to someone you care about. If you are HIV-, information can be one of your best tools in protecting yourself against HIV infection.

The Basics

For HIV infection to occur:

· HIV must be present—Infection can only happen if one of the people involved is HIV+. Many people believe that certain sexual activities, such as anal or oral sex, can cause AIDS, even if HIV is not present. This is not true.

· HIV must get into the bloodstream—Just coming into contact with infected blood or other body fluids is not enough to get infected. HIV can only get into the bloodstream through an open cut or sore or by coming into contact with a mucous membrane in the genitals, anus or rectum, mouth, or eyes.

Infectious Body Fluids

HIV can be spread from person to person through 4 types of bodily fluids:

· Blood

· Seman*

· Vaginal secrections

· Breast Milk

*Some information suggests that HIV can also be spread through pre-seminal fluid or pre-cum.

Activities That Can Spread HIV

Now that you know some of the basics about HIV and the body fluids involved in HIV infection, it is also important that you know the types of behavior involved in spreading HIV:

· Having oral, anal, or vaginal sex with a person with HIV

· Sharing drug needles or syringes with a person with HIV

· Blood transfusions involving HIV+ blood

· Babies whose mother is HIV+ may become infected during pregnancy, childbirth, or breastfeeding