Do you think you may have been exposed to HIV? It’s important to know how HIV is transmitted.

HIV is transmitted by blood, semen, rectal mucus or vaginal fluids of an HIV infected person entering the bloodstream of another person.

There have been some cases of HIV transmitted by oral sex. In most of these cases, sores, wounds, cuts, herpes lesions or infections in the mouth were present. Without those factors it isn't considered easy for HIV to enter the bloodstream via the mouth or throat.

It’s also important to know how HIV cannot be transmitted. You can’t catch HIV from:

• casual contact, such as kissing, hugging or sharing eating utensils with someone with HIV
• tears or sweat of a person with HIV
• mosquitos
  

For more information, go to the HIV prevention section of this site.

If you think you may have been exposed to HIV you should consider getting post-exposure prophylaxis (PEP). To be most effective, PEP should be started as soon as possible after exposure to HIV. For more information on PEP go to Post Exposure Prophylaxis (PEP) section of this site.

To get PEP, contact your local sexual health clinic, hospital emergency department.

For a comprehensive list of places you can obtain PEP visit www.getpep.info for more information