Primary HIV prevention focuses on keeping people from becoming infected with HIV and on helping people who are HIV-positive to help individuals develop skills for reducing the risk of infecting others.

Secondary HIV prevention focuses on helping prevent HIV-positive people from developing opportunistic infections, preventing the infection from progressing to AIDS and preventing HIV transmission to others.

Sometimes Treatment is Prevention

• Transmission to infants can be prevented by providing antiretroviral drugs to HIV-positive pregnant women.

• Treating STDs can reduce the risk for acquiring HIV sexually.

For HIV-Positive Individuals

• Tell anyone you're going to have sex with that you have HIV.

• If you have sex, use a new latex condom or other latex barrier every time, even if your partner is also HIV-positive.

• With condoms, use a water-based lubricant. Do not use baby oil or other oil-based lubricants because they may cause the condom to break.

• Don't share sex toys.

• Don't share needles or drug works.

• Tell anyone you've had sex with that you have HIV.

• Don't donate blood, plasma or organs.

• Don't share toothbrushes or razors.

For Pregnant & HIV-Positive Women

If you are pregnant, you can take zidovudine (AZT or ZDV) to reduce the chance of transmission to your baby. Because HIV can be transmitted through breast milk, don't breast-feed your baby. There are also ongoing clinical trials to determine if the drug nevirapine is both safe and effective in preventing maternal-infant transmission.

For Women who have Sex with Women

• Female-to-female sexual contact is a possible way to become infected with HIV, although little research has been conducted in this area.

• Oral or vaginal exposure to vaginal secretions and menstrual blood are potentially infectious.

• Use a dental dam or other protective barrier for oral sex.

• Don't share sex toys.

For Men who have Sex with Men

• Always use a new latex condom with a water-based lubricant during sex.

• Unprotected anal sex is dangerous, especially if you and your partner do not have a mutual agreement to refrain from engaging in higher-risk sexual behaviors outside of your relationship.

• Don't share sex toys.

Peer opinion leaders play a critical role in prevention for young gay men. To be effective, prevention programs should address self-esteem, self efficacy and relationship factors. Social events such as safer-sex workshops are also effective.

For Heterosexual Sex

• Use a new latex condom for each act of vaginal or anal sex. (Use only water-based lubricants.) For oral sex, use a new condom or other protective barrier.

• The female condom provides safe and effective protection against HIV and STDs and gives women greater control over their ability to protect themselves without having to rely on male willingness to use a condom. Female condoms are not as readily available as male condoms.

• Women who have sex with men must rely on their own skills and knowledge regarding condom use and their ability to convince their partners to use condoms.

• Both partners have a responsibility to have protected sex.

• Don't share sex toys.

Effective interventions should include training in effective communication about sex and intimacy between men and women, including a discussion about various cultural and social norms in the U.S.

For Injection Drug Users

• Seek treatment as soon as possible.

• Always use sterile injection equipment.

• Never share needles, syringes, and other injection equipment.

• Using syringes cleaned with bleach is not as safe as using new sterile syringes.

• Be sure all equipment and supplies used (cotton, water, the drug itself) are not contaminated.

Effective prevention programs for this population require a wide range of approaches. Substance abuse treatment can also be viewed as HIV prevention.

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