How can HIV spread?

HIV can be spread in infected body fluids e.g. blood and semen - drug users sharing needles is the main risk but also unprotected sexual intercourse with an HIV positive partner. There is a lower risk that an HIV positive mother can pass HIV to an unborn baby and she would be advised not to breast feed because of the low risk of passing the virus on in breast milk. The first stage of HIV infection is a flu-like virus with respiratory symptoms but the risk of contracting HIV via coughing or sneezing is zero because the virus do not survive in the air - it needs body fluids.

HIV is the virus that causes the sexually transmitted disease AIDS, so it is passed on from an infected individual during unprotected sex. HIV can also be passed through sharing needles with an infected individual. This is because HIV is transported through infected blood, semen or vaginal fluids.

HIV can be spread by any kind of body fluid interaction. for an example saliva, blood etc..