Expert: Terry B - 12/22/2008

Question
Hi,

I read this about AIDS

"This new study has shown that in fact HIV is capable of moving between the skin cells themselves breaching healthy vaginal tissue and thus causing infection.  As skin cells are about to be shed they no longer are as tightly bound, allowing the virus to then go between these cells. Once the virus has reached a fraction of a millimetre below the surface it is able to invade the immune cells it needs to establish itself in the body."
Lead Professor of the research study said: “This is an important and unexpected result – we have a new understanding of how HIV can invade the female vaginal tract.”

Does this mean it could happen by just touching, like holding hands or something like that?
I was telling my psychologist how this could happen just a couple of weeks ago and now it looks like I was right

Thanks  

Answer
Dear Nicola:

Peace and all good things to you.  I don't know where you got your quote, but there has been speculation as to whether cells could be absorbed before - at that time citing the intestinal wall.  In either case, we're looking at mucous membranes in contact with sufficient amounts of HIV-infected fluid.  Again, the reference could well be to semen, vaginal secretions, blood....

This doesn't equate to holding hands being a risk.  The thickness of skin on the hands and feet, the absence (usually) of the aforementioned fluids; this quote speaks, I believe, to extended exposure to the fluids containing HIV.

So... no, not by just touching, holding hands, something like that.  

Best to you and yours,

Terry