Can You Get HIV From Saliva?

Can You Get HIV From Saliva

According to the World Health Organization, more than 70 million people have been infected with the HIV virus and about 35 million people have died of HIV since the beginning of the epidemic. Globally, 36.7 million [30.8–42.9 million] people are living with HIV.

 

What is HIV?

HIV stands for “Human Immuno Deficiency Virus” it is the causative agent of AIDS.

What Does AIDS Stand For?

AIDS stands for “Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndrome”. It is caused by the HIV virus which weakens the immune system (body’s defense mechanism) and makes a person susceptible to all kinds of infections. Click Here to Read All About HIV: In What Does AIDS Stand For

 

How is HIV Transmitted?

HIV can be contracted in the following ways:

-During sexual intercourse with an infected person (vaginal, oral, and anal).

– During transfusion of an infected blood

-By the use of contaminated and un-sterilized sharp instruments such as syringes.

– From infected mother to child during pregnancy, childbirth, or breastfeeding.

How is HIV not transmitted?

HIV cannot be transmitted by

-Mosquito bites

-Handshake with an infected person

-Cloths

-Sharing toilet seats with an infected person

-Hugging an infected person

-Eating or playing with an infected person

 

Can You Get HIV From Mosquitoes Bites?

For an infectious agent to be transmitted by a mosquito from one person to another, it must remain viable inside the mosquito. This is however not true for the AIDS virus as the mosquitoes treat the virus as food that is digested along with the blood meal. 70 to 80% of HIV infected persons have undetectable virus particles in their blood. Calculations have shown that a mosquito that is interrupted while feeding on an HIV carrier circulating 1000 units of the virus has a 1: 10 million probability of injecting a single unit to an HIV free recipient, that is to say, an individual has to be bitten by 10million mosquitoes that have begun feeding on an HIV carrier to be infected. See HIV Symptoms After 3 Months

Furthermore, the mechanism utilized by mosquitoes during feeding differs greatly from the mechanism employed by the drug user’s needle. This is because it delivers salivary fluid through one passage and draws blood up another as such the food canal is not flushed like a used needle and blood flow is unidirectional. In simple language, mosquitoes do not transmit HIV.

 

 Can You Get HIV From Saliva In a Cut During Kissing?

A kiss is the touch or pressing of your lips against the lips of another person or an object. Cultural connotations of kissing vary widely. Depending on the culture and context, a kiss often expresses sentiments of love, passion, romance, sexual attraction, sexual activity, sexual arousal, affection, respect, greeting, friendship, peace, and good luck, among many others. In some circumstances, a kiss is a ritual, formal or symbolic gesture indicating devotion, respect, or sacrament. The risk of HIV transmission through the saliva is very low but not impossible, the presence of cuts sores, or abrasions on the mouth could make that “simple kiss” deadly. This is because the virus is present in all body fluids although in varying concentrations. It is not impossible for you to get HIV from kissing an infected person.

Diagnosis of HIV

This is usually carried out using immunochromatographic strips which determine the presence of the antibodies in the bloodstream (ELISA). This test is usually confidential and often requires the consent of the individual after proper counseling. Other methods include western blot and the use of the PCR machine.

Signs and Symptoms of HIV

When an individual is infected with the virus that does not imply that he or she has AIDS. The individual is simply HIV infected. AIDS which is the final stage of the infection has the following symptoms.

1. Prolong diarrhea
2. Oral thrush
3. Lymph gland enlargement
4. Persistent fever
5. Persistent cough
6. Skin infections
7. Unexplained weight loss.