Although researchers have found HIV in the saliva of infected people. No one knows, however, whether so-called "deep" kissing, involving the exchange of large amounts of saliva, or oral intercourse increase the risk of infection

Research suggests that immune system cells of the dendritic cell type, which reside in the mucosa, may begin the infection process after sexual exposure by binding to and carrying the virus from the site of infection to the lymph nodes where other immune system cells become infected.

HIV also can be transmitted by contact with infected blood, most often by the sharing of needles or syringes contaminated with minute quantities of blood containing the virus.

Almost all HIV-infected children acquire the virus from their mothers before or during birth. In 1994, researchers demonstrated that a specific regimen of the drug zidovudine (AZT) can reduce the risk of transmission of HIV from mother to baby by two-thirds. The use of combinations of antiretroviral drugs has further reduced the rate of mother-to-child HIV transmission. In developing countries, cheap and simple antiviral drug regimens have been proven to significantly reduce mother-to-child transmission in resource-poor settings.

The virus also may be transmitted from an HIV-infected mother to her infant via breastfeeding

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