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Where do you find HIV?

WHERE DO YOU FIND HIV?

When a person has HIV, the virus can be found in ALL body fluids, but each body fluid has different levels or concentration of HIV. When someone does not have HIV and has contact with HIV, there are RISKS involved.

HIV is found the most in:

· a man's semen (cum and precum);

· blood

· vaginal fluids

There is some HIV in:

· breast milk

There is almost no HIV in:

· tears

· sweat

· spit

HIV is really weak outside the body and dies fast in open air!

HOW IS HIV SPREAD?

HIV can be SPREAD by:

· anal (ass) or vaginal (pussy) sex without using condoms;

· oral sex (done to a guy or girl) can have more risks, especially if there are problems inside the mouth like bleeding gums, throat infections or recent dental work where there is a break in the skin;

· sharing injection drug needles (using a syringe with more than one person) which have not been cleaned with bleach and water

· in between use - this includes any substance injected into the blood stream to get high or steroids;

· unsterilized tattooing or piercing equipment can also increase risk for HIV if someone else has HIV and the same equipment was used on you;

· sharing equipment that is used to snort (inhale up the nose)

· cocaine and other drugs up the nose - these drugs cause blood

· vessels to burst and cause a nose bleed. When there is blood and more than one person uses the straw or other object, blood with HIV could be exchanged;

· sharing any type of medical equipment (e.g. glucose monitor equipment for diabetes, etc.) where blood or other body fluids become present, with more than one person may have some risk if one of those people has HIV;

· mother to child (at birth) unless the mother knows she is HIVpositive and takes medications as well as use a caesarian section during birth which reduces much of the risk.

Tattooing and piercing can carry risks if the equipment is not new or sterilized. There is evidence that even cleaning with bleach and water may not be enough, because other disease like Hepatitis C cannot be killed by bleach and water. However, cleaning equipment is better than not cleaning them and it is better if new equipment is used.

One person must have HIV and the other needs to have certain direct contact with that person's body fluids (semen, blood, vaginal fluids) to catch HIV. Today, the blood supply system is much safer than it was before, and all blood donated is screened to remove blood that comes from people who may have taken risks for HIV. There can be a theoretical risk from the blood supply and some people believe there is still a very minor risk because not all blood can be checked. Many feel the blood supply is much safer than before.