Question
Dominic has contracted HIV. What was MOST likely the cause of this virus?
He inhaled droplets from a close friend’s sneeze.
He didn’t thoroughly wash his hands after using the restroom.
He shared a dirty needle when injecting drugs with a friend.
He consumed food that wasn’t cooked to a safe temperature.
The most likely cause of contracting HIV in this scenario is "He shared a dirty needle when injecting drugs with a friend." HIV (human immunodeficiency virus) is primarily transmitted through certain body fluids, such as blood, semen, l fluids, and breast milk. Sharing needles or other drug paraphernalia contaminated with infected blood is a common method of HIV transmission among intravenous drug users.
The most likely cause of Dominic contracting HIV is by sharing a dirty needle when injecting drugs with a friend. HIV is most commonly transmitted through blood-to-blood contact, and sharing needles is a high-risk behavior for HIV transmission.
To determine the most likely cause of Dominic contracting HIV, let's evaluate each option:
1. Inhaling droplets from a close friend's sneeze: HIV is not transmitted through respiratory droplets. It is primarily transmitted through specific fluids like blood, semen, l fluids, and breast milk.
2. Not thoroughly washing hands after using the restroom: HIV is not transmitted through casual contact like handshakes or using the same bathroom. It requires direct contact with infected bodily fluids.
3. Sharing a dirty needle when injecting drugs with a friend: This is a high-risk behavior for HIV transmission. Sharing needles can lead to direct blood-to-blood contact, which is a common mode of HIV transmission.
4. Consuming food that wasn't cooked to a safe temperature: HIV is not transmitted through the consumption of food. It cannot survive the digestive process and is very fragile outside the human body.
Given this information, the most likely cause of Dominic contracting HIV is option 3: sharing a dirty needle when injecting drugs with a friend. However, it's important to note that this is an assumption based on the provided options, and a confirmed diagnosis or more information would be necessary for a definitive answer.