Based on this fact, the activities which can expose you to AIDS infection are as follows:- =

•  Sexual intercourse with multiple partners of both sexes

•  Sexual intercourse with prostitutes

•  Sharing of needles & syringes among drug addicts

Transmission of AIDS Virus

The HIV virus is present in an infected person's body fluids such as seminal fluids, vaginal fluids and blood. The virus can spread from the infected person to another person via the following:

• Having unprotected sex with an infected person.

• Exchange of blood or blood products from an infected person into the blood system of another.

• From an infected pregnant mother to her foetus.

• From the organs, tissues or sperm of an infected person (e.g. kidney transplant recipients).

AIDS cannot be spread by touching or other forms of casual contact such as:

• Holding hands

• Bodily contact in crowded public places

• Shaking hands

• Working together

• Playing games

• Light kissing

• You would not get infected by sharing food, using public facilities such as swimming pools or toilets or from mosquito bites.

• You cannot get AIDS by donating blood as all the materials used for collecting blood are sterile and are used only once. In fact, persons who are not at risk of AIDS are encouraged to donate blood.

• You should not get AIDS through blood transfusion because at present, all donated blood in Malaysia have been screened for the presence of AIDS antibodies. AIDS antibodies are substances produced by the body of an infected person in response to infection by the AIDS virus.

• AIDS cannot spread through plates, spoons and glasses used by AIDS patients because the AIDS virus cannot survive long outside the human body. Normal washing of plates, bowls, spoons and glasses will kill the AIDS virus.