• Through unprotected vaginal, anal, or oral sex
• Through shared needles (i.e. drug use, tattooing, body piercing) and Needle stick injury
• From Mother to Child during pregnancy, childbirth, or breastfeeding.

The following body fluids spread HIV:

• Blood
• Semen
• Vaginal fluid
• Breast milk

HIV cannot be spread by:

• Shaking hands
• Dry kissing
• Using the same eating or drinking utensils
• Restroom facilities
• Hugging
• Coughing
• Sneezing
• Casual contact at church, in school, or in the workplace

Reducing the risk of HIV
The risk of HIV can be reduced by practicing safe sex: a latex condom for vaginal, anal, or oral sex or, if the patient has an allergy to latex, a polyurethane condom (e.g. Durex Avanti Polyurethane Condoms).

If the patient uses injection drugs, he or she can reduce risk by not sharing needles. It's important that they understand that using a needle that is not sterile not only reduces the possibility of HIV, but of hepatitis B and other blood-borne pathogens. (Most people are aware of the risk involved in sharing needles when injecting drugs. What many do not realize is that the "tie off" also, if shared, may pick up blood from one user and transfer it to another.)

The same holds true for those who share needles for tattooing, body piercing, or medicinal purposes (i.e. diabetes). The potential risk of infection is just as high for these 'legal' uses as it is for those that are illegal.

Modifying behavior will also reduce the risk. Drug and alcohol use are a prime example. When people are high or inebriated they may participate in sexual activities that put them at risk.

One more way to reduce risk is for health and childcare workers who come into contact with blood or bodily fluids containing blood, to follow universal precautions that prevent HIV, hepatitis B, and other blood-borne pathogen infections. These precautions include:

• Wearing latex gloves whenever contact with blood, skin and mucous membrane cuts or lesion might occur.
• Discarding gloves before working with another patient.
• Washing hands.
• Properly disposing of materials exposed to blood (e.g. needles).