Notes

It is possible that a person can get infected with HIV if any body liquid with the virus gets into their body. The body liquids that carry HIV are blood, semen, liquid from the vagina, and breast milk. The liquids can go into the body through injured skin. The liquids can also enter through the mouth, eyes, nose, vagina, anus, or penis. However, though HIV might enter the body through any of these places, when people get HIV by having sex, the virus usually enters the body through the vagina or anus.

There are some common ways to get HIV:

A person with HIV can give a sexual partner the virus if they have unprotected sex. That means having sexual intercourse without a condom.
A person can get HIV if he or she uses the same needle as a person with HIV to inject drugs or get a tattoo.
A person may get HIV if he or she is stuck by a needle that was used on a patient with HIV.
Babies can get the virus from their mothers when they are born or when they are breastfeeding. A baby may be protected from getting HIV this way if their mother takes certain medications while she is pregnant.
Blood transfusions using infected blood products was a common cause of HIV. The blood had been taken from people with HIV infections. Now, in the developed world screening of blood products for HIV has mostly stopped this happening. However, people may still get HIV from blood transfusions in less-developed countries if blood is not screened carefully.
A person cannot get infected with HIV from non-sexual touching, like a hug or handshake, or touching someone else's saliva. A person cannot get HIV from an insect bite, a cough, or a sneeze.[1] People also cannot get HIV from touching light switches, using toilets, or drinking from the same glass as a person with HIV.