AIDS/HIV

What is HIV?

HIV (human immunodeficiency virus) is the virus that causes AIDS. This virus is passed from one person to another through blood-to-blood and sexual contact. In addition, infected pregnant women can pass HIV to their baby during pregnancy or delivery, as well as through breast-feeding. People with HIV have what is called HIV infection. Most of these people will develop AIDS as a result of their HIV infection. 

These body fluids have been proven to spread HIV:

• blood
• semen 
• vaginal fluid 
• breast milk 
• other body fluids containing blood 

These are additional body fluids that may transmit the virus that health care workers may come into contact with:

• cerebrospinal fluid surrounding the brain and the spinal cord
• synovial fluid surrounding bone joints
• amniotic fluid surrounding a fetus 

For more information please visit:  http://www.cdc.gov/hiv/pubs/faqs.htm