Really, what is "high risk" and "low risk"

I've read things calling unprotected insertive intercourse low risk, but I've also read things that say fingering is low risk. What do doctors generally consider high risk and low risk lifestyles?

[exww]

High risks are,
1.Reciving anal
2.Insertive anal
3.Reciving vaginal
4.Insertive vaginal

[OrionQuest]

High risk and low risk refer to the chances of acquiring an infection given a specific set of circumstances.  Usually doctors and epidemiologists look at risk per act numbers/estimates.  So highest risk is blood transfusion with an infected source, followed by sharing a drug needle with an infected person, then unprotected receptive anal sex with a known HIV partner, then unprotected insertive anal sex with a known HIV partner, then so and so for vaginal.

If the status of partner is unknown, the risk is considered to be less given the prevalence of HIV infection in a population.

Low risk activities are those where it has not been proven to transmit HIV infection, such as getting a blowjob or protected sex with a condom.  We can't say no risk because we're covering our asses.

[regularjoey]

In the US/Europe high risk groups are MSM and IVDUs

[MiamiLat]

Actually, the risk from High to Low is as follows:
Blood transfusion
IV drug use
Receptive anal
Needle stick
Receptive vaginal
Insertive anal
Insertive vaginal
Receptive oral
Insertive oral
Go to http://www.aegis.org/pubs/mmwr/2005/RR5402-1.html
Table 1.

[Teak]

[abcdlr111]

wow, good site.

receptive oral says its 1 in 10,000....thats basically nothing.

[MiamiLat]

Yes, oral is very low risk... way at bottom of risk spectrum...

[abcdlr111]

well I thank you for posting tat article.....calms my nerves :)

[OrionQuest]

according to aidsmeds, 1 in 10,000 is actually theoretical based on mathematical models.  In reality, there has yet to be a proven case.

[OrionQuest]

for insertive oral, I mean

[abcdlr111]

is for giving a blowjob or having a blowjob performed on you?