If you have sex with someone who has AIDS, not HIV, can you still get HIV?
– Sarah*
Yes. People who have AIDS are infected with the HIV virus. This means they can pass HIV on to others.
AIDS (acquired immune deficiency syndrome) happens after someone has had HIV for many years. In AIDS, the immune system is severely weakened. When someone gets HIV, that person can spread the infection to other people immediately. And if HIV develops into AIDS, the virus can spread to others.
HIV/AIDS spreads when infected blood or body fluids (such as semen or vaginal fluids) enter the body. This can happen:
HIV/AIDS also can pass from mother to child during pregnancy, childbirth, or breastfeeding.
To reduce your risk of getting HIV/AIDS if you are sexually active:
It's also important to:
*Names have been changed to protect user privacy.
Reviewed by: Robyn R. Miller, MD
Date Reviewed: Oct 1, 2018