Exposure to contaminated blood or blood products.

• Exposure to contaminated blood or blood products. With the introduction of blood product screening in the mid-1980s, the incidence of HIV transmission in blood transfusions has dropped to 1 in 100,000. Among users of intravenous drugs, risk increases with the duration of injection use, the frequency of needle sharing, the number of persons who share a needle, and the number of AIDS cases in the local population.
• Exposure of health care professionals to infected blood. Studies have shown that 0.32% of highly exposed health care workers have become infected with HIV through occupational exposure. Needle injuries are the most common exposure route. Risk factors for contracting HIV from a needle injury include a deep injection, a needle that has been used in an artery or vein, blood visibly apparent on the needle prior to injury, and blood from a patient with end-stage AIDS. There is evidence that administration of zidovudine (AZT) to the injured worker soon after HIV exposure decreases risk of infection.

HIV is not transmitted by handshakes, coughing, sneezing, or other casual non-sexual contact. There is currently no evidence that HIV can be transmitted through bloodsucking insects such as mosquitoes.