Say No to AIDS
HOW DO YOU
GET HIV?


People can get HIV through contact with infected bodily fluids - usually through sexual activity, though sometimes through contact with blood (via drug use or occupational exposure). A baby can also acquire HIV from their mother during pregnancy, labor and delivery, or through breastfeeding.

BACKGROUND

HOW DOES HIV ENTER THE BODY?

HIV is transmitted only through blood, semen, vaginal fluid and breastmilk. That means that if one of these fluids enters your body, you can contract HIV.

When HIV enters the body, it attacks the cells of the immune system. The immune system is a complex network of cells, organs and chemicals which defend the body from infections and viruses such as HIV. The organs of the immune system are distributed throughout the body. The immune system manages the distribution of white blood cells, known as lymphocytes, throughout the body to fight off infections.


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HIV Life Cycle