What is the best way to prevent HIV infection?
The only 100% way to prevent HIV infection is to be abstinent — from sex (vaginal, anal, oral) and from use of injection needles (drugs, tattoos, body piercing). You cannot tell by looking at someone — or even asking someone — if they are infected. Most people infected with HIV are asymptotic — feel fine, look great! Therefore, there are a lot of people who are HIV positive (and don’t even know it) who are having sex with a lot of people who don’t know if they are even infected. Therefore, if you and your partner decide to have sex, you both should first get tested. If both of your are HIV negative and neither is fooling around, you might be safe. But, since many people lie about their present and past sexual experiences, it would be wise to always use a condom — a latex condom with the spermicide nonoxynol -9. Remember, condoms can break so there is a potential risk. No sex is 100% safe.
