You cannot get HIV from toilet
seats, from kissing or hugging, or from sharing dishes or eating utensils.
HIV can live in blood (including menstral blood), seminal fluid (including
semen and pre-cum), vaginal secretions and breast milk.
Saliva, tears, sweat and urine
have no risk for HIV transmission.
There are three common ways HIV enters the bloodstream: through unprotected
sex (vaginal or anal), sharing needles and syringes, or from an infected
mother to her child during pregnancy, delivery or breast-feeding.
Unprotected sex and sharing needles are the most common ways for HIV
to be transmitted. Abstaining from sex and injection drug use are the
most effective ways to reduce your risk of being infected with HIV.
However, if you are going to have sex, the best way to reduce your risk
is by practicing safer sex and using condoms. If you are going to use
injection drugs, always use new or clean needles and works.
The risk of transmission of HIV from mother to child can be greatly
reduced providing certain precautions are taken. HIV positive mothers
can now protect their babies from HIV by taking medications during pregnancy
and by not breast-feeding.
The risk of transmission through blood transfusion or blood products
is also very low. Since 1985, all blood products in Canada have been
tested for HIV.
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