Who is at risk for getting HIV?

Dear Mary
Who is at risk for getting HIV? By Patty, Buru buru

Dear Patty
A person of any age, sex, race, ethnic group, religion, economic background, or
sexual orientation can get HIV.

Those who are most at risk are:
• people who have “unprotected sex” with someone
who has HIV. Unprotected sex means vaginal, anal,
or oral sex without using a condom.
• people who share needles, syringes, or other
equipment to inject drugs, steroids, or even vitamins
or medicine with someone who has HIV.
• Babies can potentially become infected during their
mothers’ pregnancy, during delivery, or after birth
in the immediate post-partum period. They can also
become infected through breastfeeding.
• Health care and maintenance workers who may be exposed to blood and/or
body fl uids at work sometimes get infected through on-the-job exposures like
needle-stick injuries.

Before 1985, some people were infected through blood transfusions or the use
of blood products. Health institutions have began screening all blood
products for HIV, so the risk of getting HIV from a blood transfusion today is
now very low.
You can only get HIV if infected blood, semen, vaginal fl uids, or breast milk gets
into your body.