What are the main transmission routes of AIDS?
Feb 06, 2025
Source: Cainiu Health
Dr. Liu Feng
Introduction
Under normal circumstances, the main transmission routes of AIDS include blood transmission, sexual transmission, and mother-to-child transmission. The HIV virus can be transmitted through blood. This typically occurs in situations such as sharing needles for drug use, undergoing medical or dental procedures with inadequately sterilized instruments, tattooing, or ear piercing. Sexual transmission is a common way that AIDS spreads.
Generally, the main transmission routes of HIV/AIDS are blood transmission, sexual transmission, and mother-to-child transmission. A detailed analysis is as follows:
1. Blood Transmission
HIV can be transmitted through blood. This typically occurs in situations such as sharing injection needles for drug use, receiving medical or dental procedures with inadequately sterilized instruments, tattooing, or ear piercing. These practices may introduce HIV-infected blood into the body of a healthy individual, resulting in infection.
2. Sexual Transmission
Sexual transmission is a common way HIV spreads. During sexual activity, the semen or vaginal secretions of an individual infected with HIV contain large amounts of the virus. Friction during intercourse can easily cause minor damage to the mucous membranes of the genital area, through which the virus can enter the body of a healthy individual and cause infection.
3. Mother-to-Child Transmission
Women infected with HIV may transmit the virus to their fetuses or infants during pregnancy, childbirth, or while breastfeeding. The virus can enter the infant's body through the placenta, birth canal, or breast milk, leading to infection. To reduce the risk of mother-to-child transmission, pregnant women infected with HIV should receive professional treatment and care during pregnancy.
In daily life, one should avoid sharing personal hygiene items with others, such as toothbrushes, razors, and towels.
