How can someone be infected with HIV?
The two main ways in which a young person can become infected with HIV are: • By having intercourse with an infected partner • By injecting drugs with a needle or syringe which has already been used by someone who is infected. HIV can be passed on in both ways because the virus is present in the sexual fluids and blood of infected people. If infected blood or sexual fluid gets into your blood, then you will become infected. If a man with HIV has vaginal intercourse without a condom, infected fluid could pass into the woman’s blood stream through a tiny cut or sore inside her body. This can be so small that you don’t know about it. If a couple have anal intercourse the risk of infection is greater than with vaginal intercourse. If a woman with HIV has sexual intercourse without a condom, HIV could get into the man’s blood through a sore patch on his penis or by getting into the tube which runs down the penis. If there is any contact with blood during sex, this increases the risk of infe
