HIV lives and reproduces in human blood and other body fluids. Someone can become infected with HIV if these infected fluids enter their body.
These fluids can contain high levels of HIV:
- Blood
- Semen
- Pre-seminal fluid
- Breast milk
- Vaginal fluids
- Rectal (anal) mucous
Other body fluids, as well as waste products like feces, urine, vomit, nasal fluid, saliva, sweat and tears, generally don’t have enough HIV in them to infect you, unless blood is present in them.
While HIV can be found in tears of infected people, no cases of AIDS have ever been reported from tear contact. Ophthalmologists (Eye M.D.s) are especially careful about cleaning instruments and lenses that come in contact with tears.
Image reprinted, with permission, from Holds JB, Basic and Clinical Science Course, Section 7, American Academy of Ophthalmology, 2011-2012.
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