Dear Alice,
I have a specific question about the HIV virus that a friend asked me; I want to make sure to give her the correct answer. She thinks that the virus can only be transmitted from bloodstream to bloodstream, that is, only infected blood in contact with another's blood can infect another person. I thought that the virus can also be absorbed through skin tissue — body fluids can thus infect another person as long as they are in contact with tissues (vaginal, anal, etc.) that can easily absorb body fluids. Is this correct? Does HIV have to come in contact with a cut or bloodstream, or can it be absorbed by one's skin through certain tissues?
Thank you Alice,
Soon to be informed
Dear Soon to be informed,
There are four ways in which HIV is known to be transmitted:
- contact of infected blood, semen, or vaginal and cervical secretions with mucous membranes
- injection of infected blood or blood products
- perinatal transmission (from infected mother to fetus)
- breastfeeding (from an infected mother to an infant)
So, the HIV virus CAN definitely enter the body through the mucous membranes that line the vagina, rectum, urethra, and possibly the mouth. Damage to these mucous membranes (i.e., exposure of bloodstream) is not necessary for transmission. For further information, you can read The Essential AIDS Fact Book, available for review at Health Services at Columbia.
- Alice
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Routes of HIV transmission?
