|
Rumor:
Recently, a Weekly World News
story made claims that CDC had discovered a mutated version of
HIV that is transmitted through the air. Is this true?
Response:
This story is not true.
It is unfortunate that such stories, which may frighten the public,
are being circulated on the Internet. Human immunodeficiency
virus (HIV), the virus that causes AIDS, is spread by sexual
contact (anal, vaginal, or oral) or by sharing needles and/or
syringes (primarily for drug injection) with someone who is infected
with HIV. It is now less commonly spread through transfusions
of infected blood or blood products for people with hemophilia.
Babies born to HIV-infected women may become infected before
or during birth or through breast-feeding. Many scientific studies
have been done to look at all the possible ways that HIV is transmitted.
These studies have not shown HIV to be transmitted through air,
water, insects, or casual contact. For more information about
the transmission of HIV, please call the CDC National STD and
AIDS Hotlines at 1-800-342-2437 or refer to additional information
on the CDC Division of HIV/AIDS Prevention’s web site at
http://www.cdc.gov/hiv. |
