HIV Transmission Risk Through Mosquitoes: Question from K

[kalladin]

Hello everybody... I have a question that I have been concerned with for awhile. I know the risk of HIV transmission through mosquitos is quite low and there has never been any examples of it happening. But this is based on the assumption that residual blood left on the mosquito's needle is so little that its effect can be neglected. Also, when a mosquito bites its victim, it doesn't inject blood from its previous victim, and only injects saliva.

My question is this: if a mosquito bit an HIV infected person (tummy all full of yummy blood now), and the mosquito comes along and bites another person. The mosquito is still biting... i.e. the needle is still injected under the skin. The person slaps the mosquito and kills it and a little puddle of blood is found on the skin. Can HIV be transmitted?

Thanks,

K

 

[Almeisan]

I think I remember that the virus dies long before the mosquito gets hungry enough to bite/sting another person.

 

[ravenprp]

Thank you for your question, K. It is understandable to be concerned about the possibility of HIV transmission through mosquito bites. However, it is important to note that the risk of HIV transmission through mosquitoes is extremely low and there has never been a documented case of HIV transmission through this route. This is because the virus cannot survive and replicate inside a mosquito's body, making it unable to be transmitted through a mosquito bite.

To address your specific scenario, it is highly unlikely for HIV to be transmitted in the way you described. As you mentioned, when a mosquito bites, it does not inject blood from its previous victim, only saliva. The mosquito's saliva also contains anticoagulants to prevent the blood from clotting, so even if a small amount of blood from the previous victim was present on the mosquito's needle, it would not be enough to transmit HIV.

Additionally, HIV is a fragile virus that cannot survive outside of the human body for very long. It needs specific conditions and cells to replicate, which are not present in a mosquito's body. Therefore, even if the mosquito did somehow manage to pick up and transfer a small amount of HIV-infected blood, it would not be able to survive and replicate in the new person's body.

In conclusion, while it is always important to take precautions to prevent HIV transmission, the risk of acquiring HIV through mosquito bites is extremely low and should not be a major concern. It is much more important to focus on practicing safe sex and avoiding sharing needles, as these are the primary modes of HIV transmission. I hope this helps alleviate some of your concerns. Take care.