What Are the Chances of Contracting HIV After One Exposure?
It’s possible to contract HIV after one brief exposure, but it’s statistically unlikely except in cases of blood transfusion. If concerned about potential exposure to HIV, ask a healthcare professional about the medication PEP.
Share on Pinterest Westend61/Getty ImagesHIV is a virus that weakens your immune system by killing CD4 cells, which are a type of immune cell. People living with untreated HIV are more vulnerable to disease.
HIV can progress into AIDS if left untreated. The World Health Organization estimated at the end of 2020 that about 37.7 million people are living with HIV worldwide.
HIV is transmitted between people through bodily fluids. Unprotected anal or vaginal sex and sharing needles are common ways people contract HIV. People can also transmit HIV to their babies during pregnancy or while breastfeeding.
HIV can be transmitted even with a single, brief exposure. The authors of a 2014 review of studies estimated chances of infection for various types of exposures. Based on their data, the table below shows the estimated risk of contracting HIV for a single exposure event:
| Exposure type | Estimated infections per 10,000 exposures | Estimated risk for a single exposure |
| Blood transfusion | 9,250 | 92.5% |
| Needle-sharing | 63 | 0.6% |
| Receiving anal sex | 138 | 1.4% |
| Insertive anal sex | 11 | 0.1% |
| Receiving penile-vaginal sex | 8 | 0.1% |
| Insertive penile-vaginal sex | 4 |
Posted : 2024-08-29 10:49 Read more
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