Human immunodeficiency virus (hiv) is a virus that attacks

the body’s ability to protect itself from disease. HIV destroys the human immune system by attacking cells known as T cells. T cells are part of the first line of defense that our immune system has to fight infection. HIV is transmitted through bodily fluids, such as blood. These fluids must come into contact with mucous membranes, damaged tissue, or be directly injected into the body’s bloodstream (from a needle or syringe) for transmission to occur. The most common way that this “bloodborne” virus
spreads in healthcare is when an infected patient’s blood is on a sharp item that causes a needlestick or a break in the skin (cut or lesion) and then enters their body, causing a new infection.