HIV/Aids

[xplorer]

Separating the myths from the facts: How is the HIV aquired?

[LazyGun]

Contact with HIV. :)

HIV is present in all bodily fluids. The highest risk route for transmission would be:
1.IV drug abuse using a syringe or needle which has already been used by an infected person.
2.Unprotected sexual intercourse with an infected person.Anal and/or Rough sex in particular would be more likely to increase the risk of transmission, since membranes in the vagina / anus can be torn, allowing HIV access to blood and the circulatory system.

Less common routes would be via needlestick ,blade or rupture injury from an implement infected with HIV.

Recipients of a blood transfusion or haemophiliacs receiving factor replacement therapy from an infected source. This was at one time a major source of infection, particulary in haemophiliacs receiving factor replacement therapy, but the risk has now been hugely reduced due to improvements in donor selection, HIV antibody and antigen testing of donor blood/plasma, use of filters to remove white blood cells from donor blood, and greater use of synthetic factor replacement therapy for haemophiliacs.

Vertical transmission of HIV from infected mother to foetus.

It is theoretically possible to contract HIV from engaging in oral sex with an infected partner... but the risks are very much lower than from sexual intercourse. I dont know the estimated rates of transmission via this method.Use of protection would be advised.

[Goodsoulette]

I thought it wasnt present in Saliva and that is a bodily fluid.

[LazyGun]

It is present and can be detected in saliva, Goodsoul, albeit at much lower levels. There was a working hypothesis at one time that there was some form of inhibitor to HIV within saliva.... dont know if this was ever confirmed or disproved though.

[LazyGun]

Just to add to my last post.... As far as I am aware, there has never been a case of HIV transmission via saliva... HIV can be present, but at extemely low levels in comparison to the virus load in the blood of an infected individual, and likely inhibited or damaged due to the presence of enzymes etc in the saliva.

[xplorer]

Which is good Lazygun.....or we would kiss each other to death!

[LazyGun]

Too true, xplorer.... :)

Still the dangers of kissing are not to be underestimated.... Getting the other persons half chewed gum, bad breath, herpes, glandular fever :))

[woofgang]

Two years ago in my CPR training (I work in the NHS and have resusc training annually) our trainer said that there had now been one reported case (I think in the USA) of HIV being transmitted by saliva exchange during mouth to mouth resuscitation (the resuscitator got it off the patient)....although of course there may have been blood or other fluids in the saliva.

We are now advised to use a filter when giving mouth to mouth.

Last year he repeated the one case warning, haven't had my update this year yet.

[LazyGun]

Interesting, Woof.... I think using a filter is a good idea. I will have to try and track down the details of that case you mentioned.... it would be interesting to see if they concluded it was contaminants such as blood etc within the saliva, or the saliva itself that was responsible for the transmission.