Understanding and Challenging Stigma toward ... - Pact Cambodia

D2
HIV Transmission and Men who Have Sex
with Men (MSM)
Handout for Exercise D2
QQR – Tool for Understanding HIV Transmission
For HIV transmission to take place, the quality of the virus must be strong, a large quantity must be
present, and there must be a route of transmission into the bloodstream. All of these things must be
present for someone to get infected with HIV.
Quality:
Quantity:
For transmission to take place, the quality of the virus must be strong.
HIV cannot survive outside the human body. It starts to die the moment it is exposed to
the air.
HIV is not an airborne virus. This is why there is no risk of transmission in sitting close to or
sharing the same room with someone living with HIV.
HIV does not live on the surface of the skin; it lives inside the body. There is no risk from
shaking hands or hugging someone. The only place the virus can survive outside the body is
in a vacuum (like a syringe) where it is not exposed to air.
HIV will die if it is exposed to heat (e.g., if someone bleeds into a cooking pot).
For transmission to take place, there must be enough quantity of the virus to pose any risk.
HIV is found in large quantities in blood, semen, vaginal fluids, and breast milk.
HIV is not found in sweat or tears.
HIV can be found in very tiny amounts in urine, feces, and saliva, but the quantity of HIV is
not enough for there to be any risk of transmission.
Cleaning or bathing a patient is quite safe, provided all wounds are covered.
Kissing, even deep kissing, poses no risks.
Route of transmission: For HIV transmission to take place, the virus must get inside your bloodstream.
Our body is a closed system and HIV cannot pass through normal skin.
HIV, however, can pass through the skin on the genitals (the penis or anus) during sex
because the skin here is much thinner and has small openings where HIV can pass.
The rectum has a large surface area and the skin in the rectum is very susceptible to tears
during anal sex, especially if the insertive partner is not using lubricant. This is why it is very
important to use water based lubricant during anal sex.
Adolescent boys whose skin in the rectum is not fully mature are more likely to develop cuts
during anal sex and are therefore at higher risk of getting HIV.
The skin on the penis is stronger than the skin in the anus. It is less prone to cuts so it is less
vulnerable to penetration by HIV. However, HIV contained in blood and rectal fluids can pass
through the urethra of the penis or under the foreskin of someone who is uncircumcised.
Men who are uncircumcised are more likely to become infected with HIV if exposed during
unprotected anal sex than men who are circumcised.
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