HIV Transmission

Transmission
HIV is primarily found in the blood, semen, or vaginal fluid of someone who is infected with the virus and is transmitted in four ways:

• Having unprotected sex (anal, oral or vaginal) with someone infected with HIV


• Sharing needles and syringes with someone infected with HIV


• Being exposed to the virus as a fetus or infant before or during birth or through breastfeeding from an HIV-infected mother


• Receiving a transfusion of HIV-infected blood or blood products. In the United States, all donated blood and blood products have been screened for HIV since 1985; therefore, the risk of transmission in this way is extremely low in the U.S.
  

HIV cannot survive for very long outside of the body. The virus cannot be transmitted through routine daily activities such as using a toilet seat, sharing food utensils or drinking glasses, shaking hands, or through kissing. The virus also cannot be spread by bloodsucking insects, such as mosquitoes.