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The ONLY ways that HIV can be transmitted:

* having unprotected sexual intercourse (vaginal or anal) with someone else who is HIV positive
* direct blood contact, i.e. sharing needles with someone who is HIV positive, accidental workplace injuries (needlestick in a health care setting)
* from an HIV positive mother to her unborn child

A word about oral sex (mouth-penis, mouth-vagina):

The mouth is an inhospitable environment for HIV (in semen, vaginal fluid or blood), meaning the risk of HIV transmission through the throat, gums, and oral membranes is lower than through vaginal or anal membranes. There are however, documented cases where HIV was transmitted orally, so we can't say that getting HIV-infected semen, vaginal fluid or blood in the mouth is without risk. However, the risk is much much lower than that of vaginal or anal intercourse.

THE PRINCIPLES OF HIV TRANSMISSION

Transmission of HIV is dependant on a number of conditions being fulfilled. Understanding these conditions gives a better understanding of how HIV is transmitted:

Firstly there must be a source of HIV infection. HIV exists in certain bodily fluids of persons infected with HIV. These include blood, semen, vaginal fluid and breast milk.

Secondly, there must be a way for HIV to be transmitted to the bloodstream of an uninfected person. Sexual contact, or sharing drug-injecting equipment are the most common routes of HIV transmission.

Thirdly, there must be a person susceptible for infection. HIV transmission only takes place from one human to another. Mosquitoes, for instance cannot become infected with HIV and pass it on to humans.

Finally, a sufficient amount of HIV must enter the blood of an uninfected person for infection to be established. If insufficient HIV enters the bloodstream, transmission of HIV infection will not occur.

If these conditions are not fulfilled, HIV transmission does not take place.

Probability of HIV transmission per source of expsoure:
The information below is from "Antiretroviral Postexposure Prophylaxis After Sex, Injection-Drug Use, or Other Nonoccupational Exposure to HIV in the United States." It's from the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (CDC, NIH) and was published in January of this year. Hopefully it will provide you with the information you require; however, please note these are ESTIMATED per-act risks with an infected source and assume no condom use.

Estimated per-act risk for acquisition of HIV, by exposure route*

Exposure route ----- Risk per 10,000 exposures to an infected source

Blood transfusion ---- 9,000
Needle-sharing injection-drug use ---- 67
Receptive anal intercourse ---- 50
Percutaneous needle stick ---- 30
Receptive penile-vaginal intercourse ---- 10
Insertive anal intercourse ---- 6.5
Insertive penile-vaginal intercourse ----- 5
Receptive oral intercourse ---- 1
Insertive oral intercourse ---- 0.5

HIV is NOT EVER UNDER ANY CIRCUMSTANCE trasmitted by:

* mosquitoes or any other insects
* feces, urine, sweat, tears
* shared food
* casual contact (kissing, hugging, etc...)
* toilet seats
* swimming pools, hot tubs
* someone who is HIV-

TESTING AND DIAGNOSIS OF HIV

If you get symptoms of an initial HIV infection they will ONLY show up between 2-4 weeks post exposure. Not 1 day after, not 5 days after. 2-4 weeks is the key. Common ARS (acute retroviral symptoms) include diarrhea, muscle aches and pains, swollen lymph nodes in groin, armpit, and neck areas, severe fatigue, significant weight loss, fever and rash. Note that not all people experience the ARS symptoms, which is why regular testing is NECCESSARY!

HIV infection is detected by a blood test for HIV antibodies. Antibodies to HIV will not be detectable immediately after HIV infection, because it takes a while for measurable quantities of HIV antibodies to be produced by the immune system (up to three months). This period is known as the ‘window period’. An antibody test taken during the window period therefore may not be accurate. This is important to remember, especially when making decisions about safe sex.

You could also potentially get tested by requesting a viral load test. Two weeks after exposure it is possible to find out this way if there is any virus in your bloodstream.

If you have any concern at all about whether you have been infected, YOU MUST GO GET TESTED. This is for the sake of others you come into contact with as well.

Visit this site for more information on the potential risk of many different scenarios and learn how to protect yourself!!!!http://www.sfaf.org/aids101/sexual.html

Another important bit:

HIV CANNOT live outside of the body. It will quickly die as soon as it it exposed to the air. Therefore, HIV cannot exist on inanimate objects such as silverware, dishes, tweezers, toothbrushes, sexual toys, etc... for more than seconds.

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