What percentage of people become infected with HIV through unprotected contact? Oral and anal sex – what are the dangers? The risk of contracting HIV for both men and women increases if the partner has cervical erosion

HIV is a human immunodeficiency virus that causes the most dangerous disease - HIV infection. Unfortunately, in our time this problem is more relevant than ever. Many reasons and factors lead different people to this disease. Representatives of both sexes become infected with HIV, but there is an opinion that it is easier for a man to become infected with this dangerous virus than for a woman.

The human immunodeficiency virus is stable and active only in a living organism. After contact with a carrier or patient with HIV, the microorganism penetrates through various entrance gates to an uninfected person, circulates in the blood and begins to invade cells. The RNA of the virus, under the influence of many biological subunits, is converted into DNA, and then integrated into the DNA of a healthy human cell. The cell is “reprogrammed” and begins to divide to form the same infected cells.

The specificity of the virus is that the cells it attacks are not ordinary, but immune cells (lymphocytes). They are involved in eliminating pathogenic bacteria and viruses, thus fighting infections.

Manifestations of HIV in men

The virus has a long incubation period, that is, after infection the disease does not develop for a long time. HIV can circulate in the blood from a week to two months - it all depends on the individual characteristics of the body, virulence (i.e. the degree of force with which the virus affects a person), immunity and other factors. During the incubation period, no symptoms are observed.

• Fever;
• Headache;
• Muscle soreness;
• Severe diarrhea;
• Loss of body weight;
• Possible development of respiratory tract diseases;
• Attachment of the herpes virus.

After a couple of weeks, an asymptomatic period (latent) begins. It can last up to 10 years (this depends on the activity of immune cells). It is characterized by the absence of symptoms, except perhaps enlarged lymph nodes. If during this period the HIV infection does not develop into AIDS, then antiviral therapy is prescribed for life, and the HIV patient can live to old age.

Stage of AIDS (terminal). From the onset of the first symptoms, a patient with HIV infection can live for about a year without treatment. HIV-infected people die from tumor diseases or from severe infections that attack a weakened body.

HIV diagnosis

The diagnosis of HIV is made on the basis of a laboratory blood test - antibodies (immune cells aimed at fighting a specific pathogen) to the immunodeficiency virus are detected. It is prohibited to force someone to take an HIV test; a person must express his/her desire to have blood taken for HIV or be directed by a doctor.

The first blood sample is taken after 2 weeks from the moment of infection (but not later than 3 months). Repeated analysis is carried out after 6 months.

If a repeated blood sample shows a positive result (antibodies are detected), a control test is prescribed to confirm the diagnosis as accurately as possible. The research results and diagnosis are communicated personally to the patient. This information is confidential and is available only to the doctor and the patient.

Sexual transmission

What is the likelihood of both sexes becoming infected with HIV? The chances of becoming infected with HIV are higher for males than for females. Statistics show that males predominate among drug addicts - hence the risk of infection through injections with a shared syringe is higher. We should also not forget that men are more likely to be promiscuous.

HIV infection can occur quite easily - just having contact with an infected environment or organism is enough.

Unprotected sexual intercourse between a man and a woman almost always (statistically 99%) leads to infection if the partner is sick or is a carrier of the virus. However, there is still 1% - infection may not occur due to the increased activity of the prostate glands, which produce a secretion rich in bactericidal compounds. But this also requires a small percentage of viruses in the vaginal secretion.

Sexual contact is the most common cause of HIV infection. The worst scenario in this case is if the infected person is promiscuous and does not remember the intended partner - the carrier of the virus. It should also be noted that circumcised men are most susceptible to infection. The foreskin contains prostate secretion, and it is known to help eliminate (destruct) the virus.

There is a question based on ignorance of the pathogenesis of HIV and methods of infection: is it possible to become infected with HIV through short sexual intercourse? Yes, it's possible. A single contact of a man with the vaginal contents of an infected woman during sex is highly likely to lead to infection. And if a woman has sexually transmitted diseases, the infection rate is 100%.

The fact is that the vagina has an acidic environment that suppresses the activity of pathogenic flora. Diseases of the genital organs lead to a disruption of the acid-base state of the environment, changing it to the alkaline (basic) side, and thereby favoring the accumulation of the virus in the vagina.

It is also possible to transmit the virus from man to man during sexual intercourse. The earliest recorded case of sexual transmission of HIV was homosexual contact between men. The probability of infection here is also 100%. Also because homosexuals are at risk of carrying and contracting the virus.

Oral transmission

Unprotected sexual contact and contact with seminal fluid on surfaces that have wounds and injuries (anus, oral cavity) are the cause of HIV entering the body. And since microscopic tears in the mucous membrane always occur during anal sex, the virus easily penetrates through these entrance gates into the bloodstream and spreads throughout the body.

Transmission of viruses orally is considered the most dangerous. Diseases of the oral mucosa, such as stomatitis, aphthae, gingivitis, caries and other dental diseases are the cause of high capillary permeability.

HIV can easily be transmitted from a sick woman to a man during oral sex. In this case, the virus will quickly penetrate both the prostate gland and the urethra, and will also enter the blood and again begin to be delivered through its current to immune cells in various organs.

Infection in everyday life and medicine

In addition to the sexual route, there are some procedures and situations that at first glance do not pose a risk of infection, but this is not the case:

• Contact of wound surfaces with the blood of an infected person. Most often, doctors and laboratory assistants who do not follow safety precautions, have wounds and open surfaces can become infected in this way. For example, a dentist, if a drop of blood from an HIV-infected person gets on his eyes (splashes during tooth extraction, surgery on the mucous membrane), is likely to become infected. In everyday life, there is very little contact between the wound surfaces of sick and healthy people.
• It is also possible for a man to become infected through tools of common use, such as razors and hairdressing supplies. The chances of becoming infected are low, since the virus is unstable outside the human body. But you still shouldn’t use common tools. Therefore, hairdressing and manicure instruments must be thoroughly cleaned and treated with disinfectants.
• The risk of infection in a public bath, sauna, solarium, or swimming pool is extremely low. Constant cleaning of these premises using disinfectant solutions and high temperatures (in a bathhouse, sauna) reduce the likelihood of the virus being found there to zero;
• Blood transfusion remains the most common “non-sexual” cause of HIV infection. If there is a virus in the donor’s blood, then the recipient who receives his cells will certainly become a virus carrier and suffer from HIV infection. Donors are forced to donate blood for detection of antibodies to HIV, because the future life of those who need it primarily depends on it. However, there are situations when there is a virus in the blood, but according to tests it is not there. This is the so-called “serological negative window”. For this reason, even “clean” blood is allowed to be transfused after 6 months - in order to first test it for HIV;
• Organ transplantation from HIV-infected people leads to infection in 8 out of 10 cases. After all, immune cells are found not only in the blood, but also in organs.

Treatment and prevention

Prevention of HIV infection involves using protective equipment every time you have sexual intercourse. It is important to be careful during sex and not allow your partner's secretions to enter the bloodstream due to accidental injuries. It is also necessary to use individual devices and tools in everyday life, and in public places use your own accessories or monitor the quality of disinfection measures performed.

If the diagnosis of HIV is confirmed, therapy is prescribed aimed at destroying the human immunodeficiency virus. Antiviral drugs of this series block the reproduction of the virus, promoting the accumulation of healthy immune cells and the fight against the pathogenic microorganism.

The likelihood of contracting HIV infection through various routes indicated in the article “ How is HIV infection transmitted?", is not the same. To assess the risk of HIV transmission, we will use percentages.

There is almost a 100% chance of contracting and developing HIV infection through transfusion of infected donor blood and its components.

The probability of transmission of the virus from a pregnant woman to a child is about 30%. However, with the current level of antiretroviral drugs and provided that a pregnant HIV-infected woman is registered in a antenatal clinic on time, is observed by doctors and receives antiviral therapy, the risk of transmitting HIV from mother to child will decrease by 3 times.

The most dangerous moment for a child is the moment of childbirth, since it is associated with trauma to the birth canal of the mother and the child’s tissues and blood. Preventive measures lead to the fact that at the time of birth there are no free viruses left in the woman’s blood that could enter the baby’s blood. This is an effective method of prevention, which, I repeat, can reduce the risk of infection of a newborn from 30% to 10%.

When injecting drugs intravenously with an HIV-infected person, the probability of infection is about 30%

The risk of infection during unprotected heterosexual (vaginal) contact is 0.1%. Quite a low probability, isn't it? Only 1 in 1000 cases. I don't want you to assess this risk in exactly that way. Among my patients there are those who became infected through a single heterosexual contact with an HIV-infected person.

During homosexual (anal) contact with an HIV-infected person, the possibility of infection is 1% and this is 10 times more than with heterosexual (vaginal) contact. In both cases, the partner receiving the seminal fluid is at greater risk.

In emergency and traumatic situations, contact with the blood of an HIV-infected person can occur and the virus can enter the blood of a healthy person through wounds, cuts, and through mucous membranes. The probability of contracting an infection through such contact is from 0.03% to 0.3%.

When kissing, shaking hands, hugging, when being HIV-infected in the same room, when using a shared shower, toilet, swimming pool, through food, household items, or with blood-sucking insects, the risk of transmitting the virus is zero.

No one has studied the risks of infection from non-sterile instruments during tattooing, piercing, or when sharing a razor (possible cuts) and a toothbrush (possible wounds on the mucous membrane and bleeding gums) with an infected person. The probability of infection in these cases is low, but it exists.

I will dwell on one more point. At the very beginning of the disease, when antibodies are not yet detected in the blood, the concentration of the virus in the blood of the infected person is high and the risk of infection from him during this period increases. Also, patients with HIV infection at the AIDS stage become more infectious for the same reason because the virus content in the blood increases.

Recently, the immunodeficiency virus is affecting more and more people. And this is not surprising. After all, many lead an unhealthy lifestyle and a chaotic personal life. Frequent changes of partners and unprotected sexual intercourse lead to similar problems.

What is the likelihood of contracting HIV through unprotected sex?

It is important to carefully and carefully approach the choice of the other half. Otherwise, serious consequences cannot be avoided. As practice shows, there is a high probability of contracting HIV from one single unprotected sex. This must be remembered in any situation and behave extremely carefully.

You can become infected in different ways. This mainly happens through:

• Blood;
• Mother's milk;
• Sexual intercourse.

Any contact with a sick person is dangerous for a healthy person. Even with minor abrasions on the body, infection can occur. Based on statistics, this mainly occurs during unprotected sexual intercourse. Especially if the mucous membrane on the genitals is inflamed, the uterus is eroded, or the woman is menstruating. At the same time, the risk of infection increases significantly. Contact with an unfamiliar partner can have fatal consequences. After all, treating such a disease is very difficult.

The process of the virus entering the body of a healthy person is quite simple. It occurs due to the release of lymphocytes by tissues in large quantities. This substance helps the virus to exist. As a result, the person himself becomes the source of the disease. Ten hours later he becomes a spreader of the virus.

It is difficult to diagnose the disease yourself. It manifests itself in the form of a common cold. Moreover, three months may pass after infection. A doctor will help determine the cause of the illness. He will prescribe a series of tests, the results of which can make a diagnosis. Moreover, they are carried out several times at certain intervals.

Another common way of contracting the virus is through an injection. Infection occurs through a needle. This situation is observed mainly when administering drugs by infusion therapy.

Great risk for women

As practice shows, the likelihood of women becoming infected with HIV during one single unprotected sex is many times higher. Moreover, this has been proven by numerous studies conducted by scientists. This is explained by the physiological characteristics of the female body. Also, do not forget about the many factors that accompany this process. This includes various injuries to the genital organs, specifically the vagina and uterus.

The most dangerous is erosion. Thanks to open trauma, microorganisms contained in male ejaculate enter both the mucous membrane of the organ and into the blood itself. As a result, the infection spreads very quickly throughout the body. Moreover, the guarantee of infection is one hundred percent.

The period of menstruation for a woman is no less dangerous. Since semen contains large numbers of virus cells. Once in the vagina, they immediately mix with the blood. Thus, the possibility of infection increases several times.

On various forums you can find numerous reviews that it is unlikely that you will become infected through one-time unprotected sex. But this is fundamentally wrong. Having sexual contact with a carrier of the virus, the risk of getting sick is very high.

A woman is also susceptible to the virus if she already suffers from sexually transmitted diseases. Basically, she has a number of problems: ulcers, erosion on the genitals. Their presence indicates that you can become infected with HIV even through one single unprotected sexual intercourse. The immunity of such representatives of the fair sex is much weaker, and therefore is not resistant to various viruses.

Chances of getting infected in men

Everyone has a chance of contracting the virus. Men are no exception. Moreover, one time of sexual intercourse with a carrier of the infection is enough for this. The only way to protect yourself is to have one hundred percent confidence in your partner. Thus, it is better to exclude casual relationships and give preference to a permanent partner.

If you compare representatives of the stronger sex with women, then the risk is less. But it is worth remembering that it increases with unprotected sexual intercourse. Contraception may not guarantee one hundred percent protection, but it still reduces the likelihood of infection. In addition, sex with a woman who is a carrier of the virus is dangerous during menstruation, during erosion, etc.

Interrupted sexual intercourse is not a protection against the disease. In this case, both the woman and the man can get sick equally. This is explained by the fact that the secret fluid produced by the vagina contains an infection. It is also present in the sperm secreted by the male genital organ before orgasm. It follows that interrupted sex should not be considered as an effective way to protect against illness.

Dangerous types of sex

Today, not all couples prefer the traditional version of sex. Recently, other types of it have become very common. The probability of infection in the first case is high, but with other methods of intercourse it is no less.

First, let's look at anal sex. If it occurs without contraception, then the likelihood of infection is greater than with traditional sexual intercourse. And this is not surprising and is explained by the structural features of the anus. Its mucous membrane is covered with cracks and ulcers. The reason for their appearance is not sexual intercourse in this way, but poor nutrition, hemorrhoids, etc.

Sperm, which contains virus cells, quickly enters the bloodstream and spreads throughout the body. Infection occurs within minutes. Therefore, the likelihood of HIV transmission through anal sex is high.

This type of relationship is typical for representatives of non-traditional orientations. This virus is especially popular among homosexuals. To become infected with the disease, one sexual act is enough.

If we talk about oral risk, it can also lead to transmission of the virus. But if you compare it with other types of sex, then the risk of infection is low. This process is facilitated by various injuries that are located in the oral cavity. There are many reasons for their occurrence. The main ones include:

• Tooth extraction;
• Gum diseases;
• Injuries and stuff.

You can become infected with HIV in different ways. It is necessary not only to know about them, but also to take measures to exclude them. As practice shows, the lack of contraception during casual sexual contact leads to infection. Moreover, the patient himself may not suspect about the illness at first. Thus, become a spreader of the virus.

Signs

This virus quickly affects the entire body. As a result, the patient will soon notice changes in his well-being. It will get significantly worse. Basically, the first signs of the disease appear a few weeks after infection. Quite often the patient confuses them with a common cold. Since the first symptoms are very similar to it. These include:

• Subfebrile condition;
• Sore throat;
• Enlarged lymph nodes that are located in the armpits and groin.

These symptoms are characteristic of the first stage of the disease. After this, it takes on a new form. This is called the latent stage and can last for many months and in some cases years. It depends on the lifestyle the patient leads and the state of his immune system. During this period, a person begins to often suffer from colds, wounds on the skin take a long time to heal and can rot.

To determine the cause of poor health, you need to consult a doctor.

A condom will help protect you from illness. But it is worth remembering that it does not provide a 100% guarantee of protection. Therefore, you should not give in to impulses of passion and have sexual relations with a casual acquaintance. It is better to give preference to a proven and reliable partner. Otherwise, even one time will be enough to catch a serious disease.

Unfortunately, not all people use contraceptives during sexual intercourse, preferring sex without a condom. This is only permissible in one case - if your partner is permanent and you are planning the birth of a child with him. If the partner is casual, such behavior is unacceptable. Such carelessness is fraught with very serious problems. In particular, you can become infected with a dangerous sexually transmitted disease (STD).

If you have unprotected sexual intercourse, is there a chance of contracting HIV? What is this probability? Are there effective measures to prevent the development of HIV infection? Let's talk today on this page www.site about this important topic:

What is the likelihood of infection?

If the partner is a carrier of HIV, then unprotected sexual contact with him is dangerous for transmitting the virus. The likelihood of infection is quite high. However, according to experts, this route of infection is in third place after blood transfusion from an infected person or transmission of infection from a pregnant woman to her fetus. On average, the risk of contracting HIV through sex without a condom is much lower than the risk of contracting other STDs.

There is official data from the American Center for Disease Control that the probability of contracting HIV during one sexual encounter without a condom is: from an infected woman to a man - 0.1 - 0.3%, in the absence of factors that increase the risk of infection (co-factors). These are, in particular, sexually transmitted diseases of one of the partners, inflammation, abrasions, wounds of the mucous membrane, as well as erosion of the cervix, or menstruation.

Moreover, the risk of infection also depends on the gender of the partners. For example, women become infected several times more often than men, which is due to their physiological characteristics. During unprotected contact, a large number of viruses enter the female body along with the sperm of the infected partner. In vaginal discharge their quantity is much less.

How to prevent infection?

The main method of prevention is no contact with the immunodeficiency virus. Of course, you don’t need to give up sex completely to do this. You just should avoid casual one-night stands and remain faithful to one sexual partner in whom you are confident. Be sure to use a condom every time you have sexual intercourse.

Some believe that infection can be avoided by practicing coitus interruptus (without the man ejaculating). Indeed, this measure reduces the likelihood of infection, but HIV infection through sexual contact in this case is not completely ruled out.

Will emergency prevention of STDs help?

With the help of drug prevention, it is indeed possible to reduce the risk, and often prevent the occurrence of many sexually transmitted diseases.

The only condition is that you should take the appropriate drug as quickly as possible. Typically, the scheme of preventive measures after unprotected sexual intercourse corresponds to the treatment scheme for the acute stage of an infectious disease.

With the help of emergency prevention of STDs, you can prevent the development of gonorrhea, chlamydia, syphilis and many other sexually transmitted infections. However, it will not save you from viral diseases: genital herpes or HPV (human papillomavirus), as well as HIV infection.

Modern medicine does not yet have such medications that can be used independently for the purpose of emergency prevention of HIV infection. However, a doctor can help.

Emergency post-exposure prophylaxis for HIV

If you have had such unprotected sexual contact and are afraid of contracting HIV infection, contact the AIDS center in your city as soon as possible.

You will be given an examination that will help determine the likelihood of infection. If there is a high risk of infection, the doctor will prescribe special antiretroviral drugs that will significantly reduce the risk of developing the virus.

The course of taking such funds is designed for a month. But for the measures taken to be effective, you should contact a specialist no later than three days after sexual intercourse. Even better right away or the next day.

After a month of treatment, another examination is carried out. Most often everything works out well. However, if the tests come back positive, you will be given a more complex, detailed blood test. Its results will show the degree of impact of the virus on the immune system, which will help the specialist develop the most effective, individual treatment regimen.

However, you must always remember that no medicine is a panacea, so you need to take safety measures in advance. As we have already said, the best prevention is sex with one partner you are confident in, and regular use of a condom.

If you are a supporter of open relationships without obligations, if you prefer unprotected sexual contact, then there is always a chance of contracting HIV. And this probability is quite high.

What is the risk of HIV infection in men? This question worries many. HIV, or is a virus that infects the cells of the immune system, as a result of which they cease to perform their functions. It is important for every person to know the mechanism of development of the disease, its clinical manifestations and methods of infection.

Pathogenesis of the disease

The virus enters the body and spreads in the blood and lymph.

Gastric juice, saliva, and urine contain enzymes that can reduce the concentration of the virus to a minimum (which is why it is impossible to become infected through these fluids). The virus cannot exist outside a living organism for more than a few seconds, and also dies immediately at temperatures above 70ºC, at 56ºC - after 30 minutes.

When a virus cell enters the body, it integrates into a living cell. It converts its RNA into DNA, then introduces it into the DNA of the host cell, changing T-lymphocytes, forcing it to produce similar viral cells and destroy existing ones. It is assumed that the virus responds to certain T-lymphocyte receptors - CD4 cells.

Clinical manifestations of HIV infection in men

HIV belongs to the genus of lentiviruses with a long incubation period.

For this reason, a person may not be aware of an existing infection for many years, as the symptoms are difficult to distinguish from many other diseases.

There are several stages of development of the virus in the human body:

1. Incubation (from 10 to 60 days). Antibodies to HIV are not produced, and it is impossible to determine the presence of HIV in the blood.
2. Acute (several weeks). It may manifest itself with symptoms such as fever, headaches, fatigue, muscle pain, prolonged diarrhea, sudden weight loss, upper respiratory tract infection, herpes.
3. Latent or asymptomatic (on average about 10 years, depending on the immune system). In the absence of therapy, it may not manifest itself at all or be accompanied only by a painless enlargement of the lymph nodes. If the infection has not progressed to the AIDS stage, lifelong antiretroviral therapy blocks the development of the infection and allows the patient to live into old age. Without treatment, a person can live 9-11 years before developing AIDS.
4. Terminal (AIDS). From the moment of diagnosis without treatment, a person can live for about 1 year, dying from tumors or opportunistic (attack only in severe immunodeficiency) infections that affect almost all body systems.

HIV is diagnosed by a blood test to check for antibodies to the virus. The first analysis is carried out between 2 weeks and 3 months after the suspected infection. A repeat test is carried out six months later.

If the second test gives a positive result, another confirming test is prescribed. The results of the analysis are communicated personally to the patient and are confidential. Compulsory HIV testing is prohibited, except for testing blood and organ donors to avoid infecting others. All HIV-positive individuals are regularly tested for immune status and viral load to monitor the development of the virus.

Methods of infection with a virus

As described above, the virus cannot exist outside a living organism, at high temperatures, and is transmitted only from an infected person through blood, breast milk or sexual fluids. It is impossible to become infected with HIV:

1. Through kisses, since saliva contains enzymes that can destroy or reduce the concentration of viral cells to a minimum amount. In rare cases, there is a small risk of transmission of the virus in the presence of fresh wounds or inflammation in the oral cavity.
2. By airborne droplets (sneezing, talking).
3. Through sweat, tears, urine (handshake, towel, bed linen, shared toilet).
4. For insect or animal bites.
5. When swimming in a pool or pond, since the virus dies when it gets into the water.

Sexual route of infection in men

About 70-80% of cases of infection in the world occur in this way. There are risk factors that increase the likelihood of sexually transmitted infection:

1. During unprotected sexual intercourse, the likelihood of contracting HIV is highest for both men and women, since the virus is contained in semen and vaginal secretions. Proper use of quality condoms can significantly reduce the risk of transmitting HIV or STDs (sexually transmitted diseases).
2. Anal sex increases the risk of infection, since in this case there is a high probability of cracks and inflammation of the anus and rectum.
3. A passive (receiving partner) is more susceptible to infection than an active one, during any type of sexual intercourse.
4. The presence of sexually transmitted diseases and STDs increases the risk of infection through sexual contact, since they can often be accompanied by the presence of ulcers and inflammation of the mucous membrane, that is, the protection of the skin is impaired, which facilitates the penetration of the virus into the body. The presence of cervical erosion increases the likelihood of infection not only in women, but also in men, since the virus can enter the man’s body along with exfoliated uterine cells.

Women are 3 times more at risk of infection than men for the following reasons:

• a larger amount of the virus enters the female body with sperm;
• its concentration in semen is higher than in vaginal secretions;
• Due to their anatomical structure, women are more susceptible to inflammation of the reproductive system and contracting STDs, which increases the likelihood of contracting HIV.

Other methods of infection

Injection and instrumental methods of infection. This route of infection is most common among people who inject drugs. The reason is obvious: the use of a shared syringe. HIV lives in a heroin solution for about 21 days, in the cavity of a needle - for several days. Infections in this way account for 5-10% of all cases. Instrumental route - infection through undisinfected instruments for tattooing, piercing, manicure.

Blood transfusion and transplantation route of infection. The blood transfusion route is the transmission of the virus during the transfusion of contaminated blood, the transplant route is the transmission of organs. Currently, they account for 3-5% of all cases, as the practice of testing all blood and organ donors for HIV is followed.

Perinatal and milk route of infection. Perinatal (vertical) is the route of transmission of the virus from the pregnant mother to the fetus. Milk - HIV infection through breastfeeding. Account for 5-10% of all cases. Currently, when planning a pregnancy, a woman must take an HIV test, and if the result is positive, therapy is prescribed to reduce the risk of transmitting the virus to the child.

After birth, the baby is tested for the presence of antibodies in the blood, but a reliable result can be obtained only at 1.5 years, when a mandatory repeat test is carried out.

Professional and household routes of infection. As a rule, medical workers who come into contact with blood, breast milk, seminal or vaginal fluids are to blame for occupational infection with the virus. This only happens if patients have damaged areas of skin. Is less than 0.01%. In such cases, no later than 72 hours after the suspected infection, aggressive antiretroviral therapy is started, and HIV tests are regularly performed. In everyday life, transmission of the virus in rare cases is possible when sharing shaving utensils or haircut scissors with an infected person.

Treatment and prevention of HIV

It involves the implementation of antiretroviral therapy, which blocks the virus, which promotes the formation of immune cells in the body. If there are concomitant infections, their treatment is required.

In order to prevent HIV infection, it is necessary to take precautions: practice protected sexual intercourse; avoid casual sex; when in contact with liquids containing the virus, take the necessary protective measures; do not take drugs; visit trusted clinics, dentists, cosmetic, tattoo and piercing parlors that have a license, where you will be confident that instruments will be thoroughly sterilized.