The main source of the disease is a person infected with HIV. The danger of infection persists at all stages of infection, for life. In large quantities, the pathogen is found in blood (including menstrual blood), semen, vaginal secretions. The pathogen can be found in saliva, women’s milk, lacrimal, cerebrospinal fluid. Blood, semen, and vaginal secretions are the most dangerous.
Pathways of HIV transmission:
- Sexual (homo- and heterosexual) – the risk of infection with the immunodeficiency virus increases with an increase in the number of sexual partners, infections that are transmitted through sex (herpes, syphilis, chlamydia, trichomoniasis and gonorrhea), bacterial vaginosis;
- parenteral (transfusion – blood transfusion, transplacental – through the placenta from mother to child, injection – injection of drugs);
- vertical – from mother to fetus during pregnancy, as well as infection of the child during delivery and breastfeeding;
- transplantation.
The risk of occupational infection of a medical worker in the workplace increases when: a cut or prick with an object with visible traces of blood, deep tissue damage, a cut in a vein or artery of an infected patient, a high level of viral load in the patient.
The risk of developing the disease by any route of transmission is largely determined by the viral load. At the same time, a low level of RNA content of the pathogen in the blood does not exclude the possibility of HIV infection.
HIV infection pathways are inextricably linked to risky sexual behavior due to alcohol and drug use. Alcohol and drugs increase sexual desire and make behavior less self-critical, which encourages individuals to engage in reckless behavior.
Individual (behavioral) risk factors include:
- promiscuous sexual activity;
- engaging in commercial sex;
- injecting drug use;
- Failure to use preventive measures to prevent diseases that are transmitted through sexual contact;
- sexual abuse;
- early onset of sexual activity, etc.
The probability of HIV transmission is increased by the presence of foci of inflammation, damage to the mucosa of the genital organs.
Domestic transmission of the virus has not been proven.
Risk groups:
- Persons engaged in commercial sex work and their clients;
- Health care workers (especially those working in infectious disease units);
- homosexual men;
- incarcerated people;
- Injecting drug users;
- migrants;
- homeless people;
- adolescents registered with juvenile affairs inspectorates.