Question

Your 20 year old cousin asks you about HIV and how it could affect her. Explain to her, using appropriate terminology (for a 20 year old relative):

i)    exactly how HIV can be transmitted,

ii)   how she could be at risk, and

iii)   what measures she could take to protect herself

Answer 1

I.

HIV is spread mainly by

• Having anal or vaginal sex with someone who has HIV without using a condom or taking medicines to prevent or treat HIV.
• Sharing needles or syringes, rinse water, or other equipment (works) used to prepare drugs for injection with someone who has HIV. HIV can live in a used needle up to 42 days depending on temperature and other factors.

Less commonly, HIV may be spread

• From mother to child during pregnancy, birth, or breastfeeding. Although the risk can be high if a mother is living with HIV and not taking medicine, recommendations to test all pregnant women for HIV and start HIV treatment immediately have lowered the number of babies who are born with HIV.
• By being stuck with an HIV-contaminated needle or other sharp objects. This is a risk mainly for health care workers.

In extremely rare cases, HIV has been transmitted by

• Oral sex
• Receiving blood transfusions, blood products, or organ/tissue transplants that are contaminated with HIV.
• Eating food that has been pre-chewed by a person with HIV.
• Being bitten by a person with HIV.
• Contact between broken skin, wounds, or mucous membranes and HIV-infected blood or blood-contaminated body fluids.
• Deep, open-mouth kissing if both partners have sores or bleeding gums and blood from the HIV-positive partner gets into the bloodstream of the HIV-negative partner. HIV is not spread through saliva.

II.

Risk factors

• Having a sexually transmitted infection (STI), such as syphilis, genital herpes, chlamydia, or gonorrhea.
• Engaging in unprotected anal, vaginal, or oral sex, especially with multiple partners or anonymous partners.
• Having sex in exchange for drugs or money.
• Sharing needles and other equipment for injecting drugs.

III.

Prevention

use barrier methods during sex, such as condoms, and never share needles.

If you’re HIV-negative but in a very high-risk group for HIV, ask your doctor about pre-exposure prophylaxis, or PrEP.