The virus is transmitted between partners when the fluids of one person come into contact with the blood stream of another person. This contact can occur from a cut or broken skin, or through the tissues of the vagina, rectum, foreskin, or the opening of the penis. Oral sex ranks very low on the list of ways HIV can be transmitted. However, the risk of contracting HIV through oral sex is not zero. The truth is, you can in theory still contract HIV this way. It may be difficult to know where the transmission occurred.

Learn More

Further information
You can also use other HIV prevention methods, below. If you have HIV , the most important thing you can do to prevent transmission and stay healthy is to take your HIV medicine known as antiretroviral therapy or ART , every day, exactly as prescribed. Read more about Treatment as Prevention. There also are other options to choose from, below.
HIV Transmission Topics
Actively scan device characteristics for identification. Use precise geolocation data. Select personalised content. Create a personalised content profile. Measure ad performance. Select basic ads. Create a personalised ads profile.
Most people who get HIV get it through anal or vaginal sex, or sharing needles, syringes, or other drug injection equipment for example, cookers. But there are powerful tools that can help prevent HIV transmission. HIV can be transmitted from a mother to her baby during pregnancy, birth, or breastfeeding. However, it is less common because of advances in HIV prevention and treatment. You are at high risk for getting HIV if you share needles, syringes, or other drug injection equipment for example, cookers with someone who has HIV. Never share needles or other equipment to inject drugs, hormones, steroids, or silicone. There is little to no risk of getting HIV from the activities below. For transmission to occur, something very unusual would have to happen. Skip directly to site content Skip directly to page options Skip directly to A-Z link. Section Navigation.