San Francisco, California, July 11, 1997
A report in today's Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report shows that HIV transmission from blood-contaminated saliva through oral mucous membranes can occur.

CDC researchers, led by Dr. N. Padian of University of California at San Francisco, investigated a case of HIV transmission from an HIV-infected man to his female partner, who reported using condoms consistently and correctly during the probable period of viral transmission. After eliminating other possible risk factors, the investigators concluded that the woman most likely became infected through mucous membrane exposure to her partner's saliva that was contaminated by blood from bleeding gums.

An Editorial Note accompanying the report emphasizes that there have been no cases of HIV transmission through exposure to saliva only, but points out that there have been "extremely rare instances" of HIV transmission through human bites, in which the HIV infected person's saliva was contaminated with blood. The case reported today underscores the need for sero-discordant couples to use condoms and to avoid "...any other exposure to...blood, semen, or any other body fluid visibly contaminated with blood."