Recent comments in /f/askscience

ChemicalRain5513 t1_j3g4nf1 wrote

Reply to comment by cristiano-potato in How long does HIV remain infectious outside the body? by Terradubia

Survival doesn't mean it is likely to infect. Even if you can demonstrate that the virus stays intact in a dried blood stain, it is extremely unlikely to make it's way into your circulation from there. Since if you touch the dried stain, not much material will stick on your hands, and even if you managed to bring a few virus particles to your mouth by accident, it is not very contagious via the oral route (compared to direct blood contact or vaginal or anal intercourse).

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VadPuma t1_j3g132f wrote

Reply to comment by Gohron in How long does HIV remain infectious outside the body? by Terradubia

To be clear, if the HIV+ person is under treatment and is "Undetectable", there have been no cases of transmission -- none, never, even with unprotected sex.

Although since medicine never says never, it is still recommended to use condoms.

I have no idea of the transmission rate between an HIV+ person and an as-yet infected person, such research would be unethical in the extreme. But it would depend on the viral load of the infected person, the type of sex, etc. Many factors.

The question of the virus living outside the body is anything from minutes to days (is the area in full sun, is it subjected to temperature differences/extremes, is the area being cleaned at all, etc.). Many factors. One thing would be difficult though is having the virus get from this point into a mucosal lining of another human.

Anyway, I am sure there is context to the question being asked that would allow for a more scientific answer.

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