HIV, the virus that causes AIDS, is transmitted between humans in three ways: through sexual transmission, by direct blood contact or from mother to child, AVERT claims. Although no vaccine against HIV nor a cure for AIDS presently exist, it is possible to minimize its transmission. By taking proper precautions, you can greatly reduce your risk of obtaining or transmitting HIV.
Practice Safer Sex
Although condoms are not foolproof, they offer the best protection against transmitting HIV other than abstinence, according to a report issued by the United Nations Programme. Both males and females should use condoms along with water-based lubricants, unless both partners are completely faithful and known to be HIV-negative and free of sexually transmitted disease, MayoClinic.com advises. Use a dental dam or a piece of plastic wrap when engaging in oral sex.
Men who are circumcised are less likely to contract HIV from their partners, according to a 2008 report published by "Scientific American." Circumcision protects both heterosexual or homosexual men by limiting the extent of exposure to HIV infection during unprotected sex, the magazine explains.
Drinking alcohol or using drugs may impair your judgment so that you engage in risky behavior, KidsHealth from Nemours warns.
Don't Share Needles
Drug users who use inject drugs should use a sterile needle each time. Shared needles present a major risk of HIV infection, along with tetanus and hepatitis B, according to a report published by The Clean and Safe Committee in Victoria, British Columbia in Canada. Take advantage of clean needle exchange programs to avoid using potentially contaminated needles, MayoClinic.com recommends.
Diabetics and others who have a legitimate need to use syringes should dispose of their used needles in special sharps containers. These containers should have a secure closure and be leak-proof, puncture resistant, clearly labeled and upright and stable during use, according to Diabetes Monitor. Once full, securely tape the container closed and dispose of it according to the regulations for your community.
Preventive Prenatal and Infant Care
Before specialized antiviral medications became a routine part of prenatal and infant care for HIV-positive mothers, approximately 25 percent of all children born to HIV-positive mothers contracted the disease and died before age two, according to KidsHealth from Nemours. The risk of mother-to-child infection with antiviral treatment is less than 5 percent. Even a single treatment with antiviral drugs during pregnancy can cut the risk of mother-to-child transmission of HIV in half, according to AVERT.
The mother receives the first course of antiviral treatments during the third trimester of her pregnancy. During and immediately after the birth process, both mother and child receive antiviral medication to protect the child from infection by exposure to the mother's blood during childbirth. HIV-positive mothers are discouraged from breastfeeding because the virus can be transmitted through breast milk; however, when formula is not readily available, breastfeeding mothers and their children receive antiviral medication until the baby is weaned.
