This Month's HIV/AIDS Facts

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Question: What if my child is bitten by a child with AIDS?

Basic Answer: AIDS (a result of HIV infection) is caused by a virus (HIV). A child is highly unlikely to become infected from a bite of a child who has HIV.

Detailed Answer: AIDS (a result of HIV infection) is caused by a virus (HIV). It is highly unlikely for a child to become infected with HIV if bitten by a child who has HIV. Although there is a theoretical possibility that HIV could be spread through saliva, it is highly unlikely. In addition, saliva contains proteins that have destroyed HIV in laboratory studies.

For someone to become infected with HIV through a human bite--

• The person with HIV would have to have blood in his or her mouth.
• The person with HIV would have to bite another person hard enough to break the skin. (This rarely happens in bites by children.)
• The person with HIV would have to bleed into the other person’s wound.

There have been a few cases in which biting that involved blood-to-blood contact has caused HIV infection. From an investigation of a human biting incident, a state health department reported that the evidence suggested that HIV was transmitted through blood-to-blood contact. Other reports in the medical literature have noted that a human bite appeared to have transmitted HIV. These reports describe the presence of blood and severe injury with extensive torn and damaged tissue.

There have also been many cases in which bites by people with HIV have not caused infection. Scientists have studied health care workers bitten by patients with HIV and children bitten by playmates with HIV. There is no evidence that any of the health care workers or the children have become infected with HIV from these bites.

There have been no reported cases of HIV infection through a human bite unless there is blood-to-blood contact. A child is at little risk of getting the virus if bitten by someone who has HIV.

SOURCES:

• Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. "HIV and Its Transmission." January 2001.
• DeVita, V., Jr., et al., eds. AIDS: Etiology, Diagnosis, Treatment and Prevention, 4th ed. 1997.
• Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. "Blood-to-Blood Transmission of HIV Via Bite." Presented at the 11th International Conference on AIDS, Vancouver, British Columbia, July 7-12, 1996. Liberti, T., et al.
• Lancet, 1996; vol. 347. "Transmission of HIV-1 by Human Bite." Vidmar, L., et al.
• National Association of State Boards of Education. Someone at School Has AIDS: The Complete Guide to Education Policies Concerning HIV Infection. 1996.
• Journal of Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndromes, 1993; vol. 6, no. 4. "The Potential for Transmission of Human Immunodeficiency Virus Through Human Bites." Richman, K.M., and Riclcman, L.S.
• U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. Surgeon General’s Report to the American Public on HIV Infection and AIDS. June 1993.
• Journal of the American Medical Association, 1988; vol. 259, no. 9. "Do Alternative Modes for Transmission of Human Immunodeficiency Virus Exist? A Review." Lifson, A.

For current statistics, contact the CDC National AIDS Hotline (800/342-AIDS), Spanish (800/344-7432), TTY/TDD (800/243-7889); the CDC Voice and Fax Information System (888/232-3228); the CDC National Prevention Information Network (800/458-5231) or its Web site at www.cdcnpin.org; or the CDC HIV/AIDS Web site at www.cdc.gov/hiv/dhap.htm.