Can HIV be transmitted through saliva?
Disease description:
I heard that a colleague of mine has HIV/AIDS. I frequently interact with him and am very worried about becoming infected. I’d like to know: Can HIV be transmitted through saliva?
Doctor's answer (1)
Dr. Jiang Weimin
HIV is generally not transmitted through saliva. The primary routes of HIV transmission are sexual contact, blood exposure, and mother-to-child transmission. HIV is present in blood and certain body fluids. When mucosal surfaces are damaged—or when inflammatory or ulcerative lesions exude fluid containing HIV—the risk of transmission increases significantly, and transmission via saliva becomes possible. However, routine daily activities—such as sharing meals or shaking hands—do not pose a risk of HIV infection.
