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Can HIV Infection Spread Through Saliva?
Question: Can you get hiv if a work colleague who is XXXXXXX has a conversation with you but at the same time, he is spitting saliva whilst talking to me. If his saliva enters my mouth, can hiv be transmitted this way? What if he was spitting blood and that entered my mouth ?
Hi XXXXX,
I have read your query with diligence and I understand your concerns. I would like to answer your question specifically.
Firstly, your colleague has to be HIV positive and should have sufficient number of virus (viral load) inside his body to be able to spit it in his saliva.
If he is HIV negative, then his saliva that enters your mouth would not have the virus to transmit to you.
HIV is transmitted through oral route. However, the viral transmission through saliva while having a conversation is very negligible.
If he was spitting blood and then it entered your mouth, there is a chance of transmission about 0.0001%. However, he must be HIV positive for this.
Hope this is clear.
Let me know if you have more queries.
I have read your query with diligence and I understand your concerns. I would like to answer your question specifically.
Firstly, your colleague has to be HIV positive and should have sufficient number of virus (viral load) inside his body to be able to spit it in his saliva.
If he is HIV negative, then his saliva that enters your mouth would not have the virus to transmit to you.
HIV is transmitted through oral route. However, the viral transmission through saliva while having a conversation is very negligible.
If he was spitting blood and then it entered your mouth, there is a chance of transmission about 0.0001%. However, he must be HIV positive for this.
Hope this is clear.
Let me know if you have more queries.
Above answer was peer-reviewed by :
Dr. Chakravarthy Mazumdar
So is hiv testing required for this ? And when should I test after this exposure ?
Hi,
There is no requirement for tests as such. However, if you think this was a potential exposure, you may want to be tested.
You could wait for 3 months from the time of exposure, and get an ELISA test done for HIV.
Hope this helps you.
I wish you good health.
There is no requirement for tests as such. However, if you think this was a potential exposure, you may want to be tested.
You could wait for 3 months from the time of exposure, and get an ELISA test done for HIV.
Hope this helps you.
I wish you good health.
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Above answer was peer-reviewed by :
Dr. Chakravarthy Mazumdar
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