Key points:
- You are more likely to become infected with HIV through unprotected sex, especially susceptible anal sex
- Although this is possible, vaginal sex is unlikely to transmit the virus, especially if you use protection
- You cannot become infected with HIV by hugging, kissing, or biting an infected person
HIV can be one of the more difficult sexually transmitted infections someone can get. While advances in treatment over the years have ensured that people infected with HIV can live long lives, constant treatment and vigilance are often required.
So if you can avoid it, you should.
Read on to learn more about HIV transmission so you can better protect your health.
Find out your HIV status from home with one of Daily Sparkz’s home testing kits.
What is HIV?
HIV, or human immunodeficiency virus, is a virus that attacks the immune system – particularly the CD4 cells that help your body fight off infections.
If left untreated, HIV gradually weakens the immune system, making it more difficult to fight off everyday illnesses and infections. Over time, this can lead to AIDS (Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndrome), a stage in which the immune system is severely weakened.
But here’s the good news: With early detection and proper treatment, people with HIV can live long, healthy lives with a normal life expectancy.
How is HIV transmitted?
There are different ways to become infected with HIV – and not just through sex. Below are a number of different behaviors and how likely you are to become infected with HIV as a result. All statistics presented here are collected and approved by the Centers for Disease Control in the United States.
Sexual acts
The vast majority of HIV infections occur through unprotected sex. But some sexual acts are riskier than others.
(NOTE: The following descriptions describe sexual acts where the risk is not reduced by things like condom use, male circumcision, antiretroviral therapy, and pre-exposure prophylaxis, all of which reduce the chance of transmission.)
Vaginal sex
It is very unlikely that HIV is transmitted through unprotected vaginal intercourse.
Receptive vaginal sex in every 10,000 contacts (e.g. a woman having sex with an infected man) only results in about 10% eight infections.
Introductory vaginal sex (i.e. a man having sex with an infected woman) is even less likely 4 out of 10,000 shots is likely to lead to infection.
Although vaginal sex remains an unlikely route of transmission, the likelihood may be increased if the uninfected partner already has a sexually transmitted infection Chlamydia or gonorrhea.
Anal sex
Anal sex carries the greatest risk of HIV transmission due to the biological structure of the anus and rectum.
The lining of the rectum is thin and fragile, making it susceptible to tears during sexual intercourse. These tears provide pathogens such as HIV with direct access to the bloodstream, especially if the infected person has HIV and is not receiving treatment.
The risk varies depending on the sexual act and the infected person.
During receptive anal intercourse, it is likely that 138 out of 10,000 contacts result in an infection. In the case of sexual anal intercourse, the probability drops to 11 out of 10,000.
Oral sex
Although technically possible, the likelihood of HIV transmission through oral sex is so low that most health experts consider it possible negligible risk.
For transmission to occur, something very unusual would have to happen. For example, if an infected person ejaculates into the mouth of a person suffering from mouth ulcers, bleeding gums, or another sexually transmitted disease, this may slightly increase the likelihood.
Sharing sex toys
HIV does not survive long outside the human body, meaning the virus becomes inactive relatively quickly once exposed to air or surfaces.
However, if the toy is used between partners in quick succession, especially without cleaning or changing condoms, The virus may still be viable enough to pose a risk.
Using nonporous toys (such as those made of silicone or stainless steel), cleaning thoroughly between uses, and using a new condom for each person are effective ways to reduce the risk.
Although transmission of HIV through sex toy sharing is technically possible, it has not been adequately studied and further research on this topic is needed.
Non-sexual acts
While most HIV infections are caused through sex, there are many documented cases of people becoming infected with HIV through other routes. Here are some of them.
Pregnancy and breastfeeding
Most children who get HIV get it during pregnancy, birth, or breastfeeding. This is called “perinatal transmission.”
The risk depends on several factors – especially if the mother is receiving effective treatment. Without treatment, the risk of transmission during pregnancy is somewhere in between 15% to 45%. However, with effective therapy the likelihood can decrease less than 1%.
Breastfeeding can present unique challenges. If a mother is receiving antiretroviral therapy and has an undetectable viral load, there is also a risk of transmission less than 1%. In some cases, healthcare professionals may recommend feeding with formula or donor milk to completely eliminate the risk.
Blood transfusions
A transfusion of HIV-infected blood is one of the riskiest ways to contract the virus. If the blood is not tested and contains active HIV, the chance of transmission is estimated at 1 over 90%– essentially almost guaranteed. This is because the virus enters the bloodstream in large quantities directly, bypassing the usual barriers such as skin or mucous membranes.
However, in countries like the UK, this scenario is extremely rare thanks to strict screening protocols. All donated blood is tested for HIV (as well as other infections such as). Hepatitis B And Hepatitis 100) using highly sensitive methods such as nucleic acid testing and antibody testing. These safety measures have resulted in HIV transmission through blood transfusions becoming virtually non-existent in modern healthcare settings.
Needles
The probability of HIV transmission through a contaminated needle is estimated to be approx 0.3% per exposure. This means that for every 1,000 people who suffer a needlestick injury from HIV-positive blood, around three could be infected. While that may sound low, it is still considered a significant riskparticularly in healthcare settings where such exposures are more likely.
While the exact percentages may vary depending on the context, studies estimate that the risk of HIV transmission per act of sharing injection equipment is approximately high 0.63% per exposure. That’s more than double the risk of a needlestick injury in healthcare settings. The risk increases if the HIV-infected person has a high viral load or if equipment is shared repeatedly.
Bite
There are only a few documented cases of HIV being transmitted through biting, and even then they involved fairly extreme circumstances – deep wounds, broken skin and the presence of blood.
In order for HIV to be passed on in this way, there must be a direct route into the bloodstream, usually through significant tissue damage. So unless there is severe trauma, the risk is incredibly low.
Spit
Spitting, on the other hand, poses no risk at all. HIV is not transmitted through saliva and if the skin is intact, the virus cannot enter the body. This means that everyday contact poses no real danger when it comes to HIV.
Kiss
There are some documented cases of HIV transmission through deep, open-mouth kissing. However, this only happened if both partners had bleeding gums or open sores in their mouths.
You cannot become infected with HIV by kissing with your mouth closed.
What risk factors increase the likelihood of transmission?
Some risk factors may increase the likelihood of HIV infection.
Alcohol and drug consumption
Consuming alcohol or drugs alone does not cause HIV infection. However, these substances impair your inhibitions and judgment and tend to encourage behaviors that increase the likelihood of infection, including:
- Engaging in unprotected sex
- Sharing needles for drug use
- Have sex with multiple partners
High viral load
Your viral load indicates how much HIV you have in your blood. People with higher viral loads are more likely to pass on the virus. Antiretroviral treatment reduces your viral load.
With effective treatment, your viral load can be reduced to undetectable levels, making it extremely unlikely that you will pass the infection on to an uninfected person.
Have other sexually transmitted diseases
If you have another STI, you may be at higher risk of getting or passing on HIV. These sexually transmitted diseases include:
Final thoughts
HIV is not a death sentence. With the right treatment, you can live a long and healthy life. But first you need to know if you have it.
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