AIDS can be transmitted through which of the following routes?

The transmission of AIDS, which is caused by the human immunodeficiency virus (HIV), primarily occurs through the exchange of certain bodily fluids. The correct answer focuses on two key routes: blood and sexual contact.

Blood: HIV is present in high concentrations in blood, making it a significant means of transmission. This can occur through sharing needles among intravenous drug users or through transfusions with infected blood, though stringent screening tests have minimized this risk in healthcare settings.

Sexual contact: HIV is also transmitted through sexual activities, particularly unprotected intercourse. This can involve genital, anal, or oral sex, where the virus can enter the body through mucous membranes in the genital or anal areas, or in some cases, through oral exposure.

Other choices, such as saliva, urine, airborne particles, insect bites, and general environmental exposure, do not support the transmission of AIDS. Saliva and urine contain only trace amounts of the virus, insufficient for transmission. HIV is not spread through the air like airborne viruses, nor does it survive well outside the body, eliminating the risk of environmental exposure. Additionally, insects do not transmit HIV in the same way they might transmit other pathogens, as the virus cannot replicate in insect vectors.

Understanding these routes of transmission is