This article explores the factors that affect the survival time of HIV outside the body in different fluids. It also explains how the virus can and cannot transmit. HIV does not typically survive for long outside the body, where it cannot replicate. The virus dies quickly upon exposure to light and air. Therefore, contact with dried blood or semen that has been outside the body does not generally pose a risk for contracting HIV.
HIV cannot survive in the air, so people cannot contract the virus from sharing space with a person who has HIV. It is also not possible to contract HIV from sharing toilet seats, utensils, or bedding. The length of time that the virus can survive outside the body depends on several factors, such as:. While the risk of contracting HIV from external fluids is low, the risk is high when sharing equipment to inject drugs, such as needles and syringes.
The reason for this is that the person may inject blood that contains HIV directly into their bloodstream. Modern antiretroviral therapies are very effective in preventing HIV transmission. In most cases, the virus is under control within 6 months of a person starting this treatment. Once the viral load — the amount of the virus present in the blood — is undetectable, there is virtually no risk of the virus transmitting to other people through blood, semen, or other bodily fluids. In comparison with other fluids, blood contains the highest concentrations of HIV.
The virus dies quickly when it leaves the body, so the risk of contracting HIV from contact with dried blood is low. In a medical setting, a person could contract HIV if they get a cut from a blade or needle that has been in contact with blood that contains HIV. However, the risk of contracting HIV in this way is very low.
The risk of contracting HIV from sharing equipment to inject drugs is very high because a person could inject blood that contains HIV directly into the bloodstream. The virus can survive for longer inside a syringe than when it is exposed to air.
According to the HIV charity Avert , it is not possible for a person to get HIV by coming into contact with a condom containing the sperm of a person with the virus. The speed at which HIV dies outside a human host makes this impossible. While HIV can spread via vaginal fluids, the virus tends to exist in smaller concentrations than it does in blood and semen.
It is not clear why this is the case, but it appears that hormones and the types of cells in the genital tract may play a role. HIV can also transmit to a baby through pregnancy or birth. However, this is becoming less common with recent developments in care. The most common ways people contract HIV in the United States are through sharing equipment when injecting drugs and having anal or vaginal sex without barrier contraceptives.
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Medically reviewed by Jill Seladi-Schulman, Ph. How it spreads In the environment In sperm In blood In water Bottom line Overview There are many myths and misconceptions about how long HIV lives and is infectious in the air or on a surface outside the body. Unless the virus is kept under specific conditions, the true answer is not very long.
How does HIV spread? How long does HIV live outside the body in the environment? How long does HIV live outside the body in sperm? How long does HIV live outside the body in blood? How long does HIV live outside the body in water? The bottom line. What You Should Know. Read this next. Other Resources. Get tailored information about your risk and learn how to protect yourself. Top of Page. More HIV Topics. Follow HIV. Links with this icon indicate that you are leaving the CDC website.
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