Is HIV contagious?

Currently, the sources of information about HIV disease are more and more widely available, so the knowledge about this disease is quite clear to many people. In fact, people with HIV can still lead healthy, normal lives and do not transmit the disease to others if they follow good treatment. However, in a certain way they are still stigmatized and shunned in society.
HIV disease may not be cured, but in fact, they are not as contagious as many people think. HIV virus in needles and syringes can live for 5 days in the environment, but if it stays for longer, it is very difficult to infect. HIV virus exists most in the blood, semen, vaginal fluids, and milk of HIV-infected patients. When enough numbers are reached, the disease will spread from one person to another.
In addition, this virus can also be present in saliva, urine, tears or sweat. However, HIV that exists in these forms is usually very small and does not reach the threshold to be infectious by contact. This is considered the basis to confirm that HIV is not easily transmitted through normal contact routes.

HIV is transmitted through a number of ways:

HIV virus is abundant in blood as well as in blood products such as red blood cells, platelets, plasma,... Therefore, HIV can be transmitted through HIV-infected blood and blood products. Specifically:
Transmission of HIV by transdermal needles such as: Sharing needles, needles, tattoo needles, acupuncture needles, tools for tattooing eyelashes, eyebrows, razor blades, etc. or used when not properly sterilized surgical instruments, medical examination and treatment instruments... that pierce the skin such as knives, scissors, ..

Transmission through objects contaminated with the blood of others such as sharing toothbrushes. Transmitted by direct contact with blood elsewhere, such as being contaminated with the blood of an HIV-infected person in an open wound or abrasion. Transmitted through transfusion of blood and blood products or transplantation of HIV-infected tissues and organs or through blood transfusion equipment, blood collection... not properly sterilized.

HIV disease is one of the sexually transmitted diseases, by the bodily fluids (blood, genital secretions) of an HIV-infected person entering the body of a non-HIV-infected partner.
All forms of sex with a person with HIV carry a risk of infection. However, the degree of risk of infection is different, with the highest risk being anal, then vaginal, and finally oral. Accordingly, the recipient of semen has a higher risk of HIV infection.

HIV transmission from mother to child can occur in 3 cases:
During pregnancy, HIV virus from the blood of an HIV-infected mother through the placenta into the fetus's body. At birth: HIV virus from amniotic fluid, uterine fluid, vaginal fluid of an infected mother enters the baby at birth through the mucous membranes of the eyes, nose, anus or the baby's skin during childbirth. During this process, the HIV virus can get from the mother's bloodstream through sores in the genitals that stick to the newborn's body (mucosa). When breastfeeding: HIV virus can be transmitted through milk or through cracks in the mother's nipples, especially when the baby has lesions in the oral mucosa.

Mosquitoes can be an intermediary in the transmission of dengue fever, but not with HIV, because studies have shown that the HIV virus does not live and reproduce in the mosquito's body.
In fact, when bitten by a mosquito, the blood from the human body enters the mosquito's body, but the mosquito cannot turn to the human body. They only secrete into the human body a little saliva containing anticoagulants so that the blood can flow into the mosquito's body. Because HIV does not exist and reproduce in the mosquito's body, it is not present in the mosquito's saliva and does not enter the human body.

Scientific researchers have analyzed the composition of body fluids and concluded that the saliva of HIV carriers only has a very small amount of HIV, so it cannot transmit HIV. Kissing can only infect HIV in two cases, both of them have ulcers, scratches in the mouth, bleeding gums ...
HIV disease is a dangerous disease and currently there is no medicine to treat it, but it can be transmitted. In order to get sick, the HIV virus must enter the person's bloodstream. Therefore, common contacts such as hugging, sharing swimming pools, staying in the same house, working together, etc. do not transmit HIV.

Usually, people who work in high-risk environments are medical staff, skin care, hairdressing, manicure, technicians who have contact with customer secretions that need attention and inspection. Periodic health check-up. For other adults who are not in the high-risk group for HIV infection, doctors often recommend a health check-up once a year to prevent unexpected infection situations.
People with risk factors for HIV such as unprotected sex, tattooing or injecting drugs, people who have frequent contact with other people's secretions, are sick people who have had blood transfusions or products of HIV blood .... can refer to the social disease screening package at Vinmec International General Hospital to perform dermatological examination, HIV Ab test.... From there, the specialist doctors will have a guide effective diagnosis and treatment.