Eryemil wrote: any exchange of body fluids is a risk.
Although the virus is present in any body fluid, the risk of transmission by casual contact with saliva, tears or urine is nil. Early cohort studies demonstrated that living with or tending to HIV positive individuals, including AIDs patients, does not increase risk of HIV unless contact is made with blood or semen. To my knowledge there has never been a documented transmission by casual contact with any body fluid other than blood or semen. Unlike the West Nile virus which is also blood born and carried by mosquitos the HIV virus cannot be transmitted by this vector. Human to human, fluid to fluid (blood or semen) contact is necessary.
During the AIDs panic of the mid-80s, many people were afraid of any contact with any possible high risk individual. Efforts at education have dispelled a lot of the misinformation and reduced much of the panic and although it is an horrific disease it can in most cases be avoided.
