Debunking WhatsApp Broadcasts: Can You Get HIV From Contaminated Food?

You like most other people might have recieved certain whatsapp broadcasts that states that you should stay away from certain foods or drinks because a HIV positive worker in the company infected their produce.

There is a frightening trend to this, especially since a lot of people still wont eat food or drinks made by a HIV positive person. This is disheartening to say the least, especially since the chances of infection through food or drink contamination is basically next to none.

To quell your fears however, we decided to dig deep and come up with the facts regarding getting infected with HIV from food prepared by someone with the virus.

Given the type of life we are in, it is quite understandable that you’re worried about the possibility of eating food contaminated with HIV but the fact remains that there’s a huge possibility that you have been served by an HIV positive person without even knowing it.

However, since HIV is transferred only from fluids to fluids—blood to blood or through sex, there are little reasons for you to be worried.

The majority of people with HIV that happen to be on treatment usually have an undetectable amount of the virus in their blood, making it unable to infect others. Still, if an HIV infected individual cuts themselves, theres a high chance that they will immediately stop cooking, dress their wound, and sanitize the area, as anybody would.

Even if they didnt notice that they had a cut and a small amount of blood gets into the food without anyone noticing, the kitchen environment is inhospitable to the virus. Kitchen exposure to air and heat while cooking would most likely kill the virus.

And if the blood of an infected person gets on cold food such as a salad, there are still little reasons to be worried. Since the food is consumed by mouth, not an open cut, your stomach acid would kill the virus as it goes through your digestive system.

If for instance, you have a cut in your mouth, it is still impossible for such a small amount of blood to make it inside there and infect you.

So far, there has not been any recorded case of someone contracting HIV from food prepared by another person infected with the virus. There is zero risk of HIV transmission.

When you receive that WhatsApp broadcast asking you to boycott a product because of certain bogus claims, think again and educate the sender. They will appreciate the effort you put in doing so.

The post Debunking WhatsApp Broadcasts: Can You Get HIV From Contaminated Food? appeared first on 360Nobs.com.