Health Conditions

What are the risk factors?

HIV infection is spread by the transmission of body fluids from a person who is infected with HIV. Anybody, regardless of age, geographic location, gender, or sexual preference is at risk for HIV. For example, any of the following are ways of contracting HIV:

• Having unprotected sex, including vaginal, oral, and anal (without a latex condom) with a person who is infected with HIV whether they are heterosexual, homosexual, or bisexual.
• Having STI?s (sexually transmitted infections) such as syphilis, herpes, chlamydia, or gonorrhea.
• Sharing a needle or syringe with an HIV-positive individual.
• Receiving an HIV-contaminated blood transfusion or any blood product prior to 1985.
• Being born to or breastfeeding from an un-medicated HIV-positive woman.
• Breaking the skin with an injury from medical equipment that has been in contact with HIV-infected fluids. (eg. accidently pricking the finger with a needle that was used in an HIV-positive patient)
• Receiving an HIV-contaminated organ transplant (very rare).
• Undergoing dental procedures done with improper sanitation of dental equipment that has been in contact with HIV (very rare).

Within the past 15 years, many efforts have been made to reduce the risk of being infected with HIV. For instance, since 1985 the American blood supply has been tested for HIV, making infections through blood transfusions very rare. HIV infection is NOT spread by:

• Air
• Food
• Water
• Insects (including mosquitoes and bedbugs)
• Animals
• Non-infected people wanting to donate blood
• Everyday, casual contact with people who are HIV-positive (eg. sharing food, utensils, towels, bedding, telephones, toilet seats, swimming pools, and hand shaking)
• Saliva from kissing, sweat, tears, urine, feces