HIV infection is a sexually transmitted disease (STD) or sexually transmitted infection (STI): this means that a person infected with HIV can infect sexual partners regardless of their sexual attractions, whether heterosexual or homosexual. A single unprotected intercourse may be sufficient to contaminate her partner. A person who is infected by the AIDS virus is often healthy for several months or even years. It is a carrier of the virus and can transmit it to his sexual partners without knowing if sex is not protected.
The risk of HIV infection is increased, especially if the sexual partners are numerous, during sex with a partner whose unusual is not known HIV status, if one partner shows a lesion of the skin or mucous membranes (genitals, anal) where HIV enter more easily and always when sex is not protected.
Even today, despite the messages of prevention and health education, too many people infected by the AIDS virus are found only at the stage of the disease AIDS, not only salaries but are less effective and more, they risk spreading the virus throughout the period of ignorance of their infection if they did not use condoms during sex.
That is why screening for infection is a crucial test when driving at risk. There are other routes of transmission of the AIDS virus:
The transmission of AIDS/HIV through blood
In people suffering from disease requiring a blood transfusion: contaminating blood transfusions are rare today, at least in industrialized countries, preparations and the controls on blood donations being draconian. Among drug addicts who inject drugs intravenously with equipment already used and stained by the blood of an infected person. At the nursing staff because of an accidental exposure to blood, for example, if the person pique with a needle that has already been used on an infected person or projection of blood or body fluid containing HIV.
The transmission of the virus from infected mother to her child is also possible during pregnancy or during childbirth. As the virus is present in breast milk, the mother can transmit the virus to her baby if baby breastfeeds.