Modes of HIV transmission

HIV is a virus spread through body fluids that affects specific cells of the immune system, called CD4 cells, or T cells”. HIV stands for human Immunodeficiency virus. HIV kills the body’s CD4 cells and damages the immune system. HIV is a retrovirus that attacks the immune system. Its genetic material, RNA, must be converted in to DNA during replication. Over time, the immune system and the body loses its ability to fight the virus. HIV replicates inside the human body.  It must invade a healthy cell in the body to survive.  HIV is Spread through unprotected sex with people living with HIV (vaginal, oral, or anal), blood to blood contact and exposure to HIV before or during birth or through breastfeeding. Other means of spread include anal sex which is the activity that has the highest form of sexual transmission for HIV.  This is due to a tighter, thinner lining of the anus.  Vaginal sex is next and oral sex carries the least amount of risk of the thre. It is important that young people know that oral sex, although it’s less risky and does not cause pregnancy, can still place them at risk for many STDs including HIV.
Sharing needles fall under blood to blood transmission due to the fact that when someone inserts a needle into his or her veins, small amounts of blood is drawn into the syringe.  When that same needle is used on another person, the blood is mixed.  When shooting up a drug like heroine, transmission can also occur with “works” ( the spoon, bucket of water and cotton ball that is used while injecting and sharing the drug.
 Mother-to-child transmission of HIV is the spread of HIV from an HIV-infected woman to her child during pregnancy, childbirth (also called labor and delivery), or breastfeeding.  It is the most common way that children become infected with HIV.  Pregnant women with HIV receive HIV medicines during pregnancy and childbirth to reduce the risk of mother-to-child transmission of HIV. In some situations, a woman with HIV may have a scheduled cesarean delivery (C-section) to prevent mother-to-child transmission of HIV. Babies born to women with HIV receive HIV medicine for 6 weeks after birth. The HIV medicine reduces the risk of infection from any HIV that that may have entered a baby’s body during childbirth. Because HIV can be transmitted in breast milk, women with HIV living should not breastfeed their babies.  Baby formula is a safe and healthy alternative to breast milk. The CDC (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention) recommends that all pregnant women get tested for HIV as early as possible in each pregnancy.


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