How is HIV Transmitted?

The main route of HIV transmission is through:

• Unprotected sexual contact with an infected person
• By sharing needles with an infected person and
• From an infected mother to child during pregnancy, during birth, or shortly after birth while breastfeeding

For HIV Transmission to occur, the following criteria must be met:

• HIV must be present
• There must be a sufficient quantity of HIV present
• It must get into the bloodstream via the mucosae (vaginal or rectal) and through breaks in the skin (many times these are not visible).

Note: HIV is most concentrated in blood.

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