Blood and body fluids or tissues contaminated with blood may pose a risk of transmission of HIV. Genital secretions (semen or vaginal fluid) or other body fluids contaminated with visible blood should be considered potentially infectious.
Although mucous membrane or percutaneous exposure to these fluids may pose a transmission risk, this warrants further evaluation:
Exposure to non-bloody saliva, tears, sweat, urine, vomitus, or feces of HIV-infected patients is not considered to produce a risk of HIV transmission. Occupational exposure to human breast milk is also not considered a transmission risk in healthcare, despite its implication in perinatal transmission.
This strategy assumes that everyone is potentially infectious. Before touching blood or open wounds:
HIV is highly sensitive to standard sterilization and heat methods. Thorough cleaning is mandatory before any process.
The method of choice for reusable medical instruments. Autoclaves or modified pressure cookers should be operated at 121°C (250°F) for a minimum of 20 minutes.
Appropriate for instruments that withstand high temperatures. Not suitable for plastics. Requires an oven temperature of 170°C (340°F) for 2 hours.
The simplest and most reliable backup method when sterilization equipment is unavailable. Boiling instruments and syringes must be continued for 20 minutes.
In practice, chemical disinfectants are less reliable because they can be inactivated by blood or organic matter, lose strength in warm places, and require precise preparation. Chemical disinfection must never be used for needles and syringes. Use for other skin-cutting tools only as a last resort.
The following chemical disinfectants are lab-proven effective against HIV:
Although experts believe it will be possible to develop a vaccine for HIV, it remains a long-term goal for widespread use. Until a vaccine or definitive cure is available, appropriate prevention and high-standard sterilization strategies offer the only feasible measures for avoiding HIV transmission.
The Government of Georgia identified HIV/AIDS among top national priorities in the early 1990s, becoming among the first FSU republics to establish a national program in 1993. Mainstreamed interventions cover National AIDS Prevention, Safe Blood, Treatment, and PMTCT programs.
These national programs, implemented through the Ministry of Health and the National AIDS Center, fully encapsulate comprehensive HIV/STI surveillance, mandatory screening of all blood donors, free counselling and testing services for high-risk cohorts, diagnostics, clinical care, and free PMTCT support for all pregnant women alongside a responsive educational hotline system.
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