Quantity of virus

Hello, for a long time i have been cautious about the ways HIV can and cannot be transmitted. This xite is very useful in informing people with a doubt to a possibel exposure. However there is one thing which I still cannot grasp and I believe is sometimes the source of a lot of the fear concerning the possible transmission of HIV. I hope the answer from the experts to this question can give reassurance.

It has always been said the a significante amount of VIRUS (ie, infected blood, fluid, semen etc..) is necessary to be present in order for transmission to occur, and even small amounts of infected fluid (as nurse girl put it in THE FACTS) to cuts etc..would not result in transmission, but if we take an anal sex scenario there are not LARGE amounts of infected fluid being exchanged in the anus, so why does very little amount in this case pose a risk high risk), and little amounts in other cases not pose a risk.

Thank you.

[Vance2335]

Cuts do not pose a risk because there is no access to the blood stream. In the anal cavity there are mucase membranes which have cells where the virus can easily attach and infect. And in the anal cavity you have rips which cause bleeding and enters the uretha to cause infection.

[alienshadow]

Anal sex is considered a high-risk sexual practice, and unprotected anal sex is the riskiest of all forms of sexual intercourse. The hazards are due to the vulnerability of the tissues, as the penetration of the anus may cause tearing and bleeding of the soft tissues, and can damage the sphincter muscles, causing incontinence and anal prolapse. It is also due to the high concentration of disease causing organisms in the anus and the introduction of pathogens during the sex act itself, exposing the participants to a spectrum of contagious diseases. Some authorities judge that all anal sex is unsafe, due to the high rates of condom failure, including those brands that claim to be specially strengthened

Men may enjoy anal sex due to the anus being tighter than the vagina. The attitude of women towards anal sex is rather diverse: while some consider it painful or uncomfortable, other women find it very pleasing and even prefer it to vaginal intercourse. In heterosexual encounters, the risk to the woman is greater than the risk for the man. At the same time, anal sex is held to carry a very low risk of unwanted pregnancy when not accompanied with vaginal intercourse, and in some populations is frequently used as a means of contraception, often in the absence of a condom. A man may also be anally penetrated by a woman. A woman using a strap-on dildo to anally penetrate a man is referred to as pegging.

The risk of injury during anal intercourse is many times higher than that during vaginal sex. Also, the risk for transmission of the HIV virus is higher for anal sex than for vaginal sex.Precautions should be taken to prevent damage to the rectal area, such as lubrication and also the use of protection, such as condoms to stop the transmission of STDs.

Anal sex exposes participants to two principal dangers: infections, due to the high number of infectious microorganisms not found elsewhere on the body, and physical damage to the anus and the rectum due to their vulnerability


Among the diseases with which anal sex is associated are HIV, human papilloma virus (HPV) (which can increase risk for anal cancer typhoid fever or sexual intercourse in general. Among these are: amoebiasis; chlamydia; cryptosporidiosis; E. coli infections; giardiasis; gonorrhea; hepatitis A; hepatitis B; hepatitis C; herpes simplex; human papillomavirus; Kaposi's sarcoma-associated herpesvirus (HHV-8); lymphogranuloma venereum; Mycoplasma hominis; Mycoplasma genitalium; pubic lice; salmonellosis; shigella; syphilis; tuberculosis; and Ureaplasma urealyticum.

The high concentration of white blood cells around the rectum, together with the risk of cuts to the rectum and that one of the functions of the rectum is to absorb fluid, increases the risk of HIV transmission because the HIV retrovirus reproduces within the immune system's T-cells/CD4 cells. Use of condoms and other precautions are a medically recommended way to lessen risk of infections. Unprotected receptive anal sex is the most risky sexual behavior in terms of HIV transmission


Maybe this clears up some of your questions???