STILL ON HIV AWARENESS: HOW LONG DOES HIV STAY OUTSIDE THE BODY?

The question about how long HIV stays in the body is one that has drawn attention especially when the subject of sharing sharp objects or being injured by sharp objects that may have previously pricked a HIV-positive individual, is mentioned.
It is also important to answer this Frequently asked question as part of efforts to stop discrimination against persons living with HIV/AIDS.

THE ANSWER:
HIV is a very fragile virus outside the body which is its primary host. The life span of HIV outside of the body has not been determined.
For HIV to survive outside the body, it will require a body fluid, very low temperatures which vary with the type of body fluids (-70°C for fresh blood or about 4°C for dried blood), absence of air, not too acidic nor alkaline environment (controlled pH of not less than 7 and not more than 8), concentration of viral particles, etc

Because these conditions are mostly laboratory conditions and in most cases not obtainable outside the body, it is very difficult for HIV to thrive outside the body.

In areas like a syringe or on a razor in a medicine cabinet, HIV would probably live longer because of less airflow and it's a more moist temperature controlled area.

Other points to note:

According to the World Health Organization (WHO), HIV is easily killed outside the human body and therefore can only be transmitted directly from person to person, either by sexual contact, exchange of blood or body fluids or from mother to child. Sexual transmission of the HIV is relatively inefficient and repeated unprotected exposures are normally required. HIV incidence and prevalence can vary greatly from country to country and even within countries, depending on several risk factors and risk behaviours. Since the HIV epidemic is driven mainly by sexual transmission, the level and intensity of risk behaviours (vaginal or anal unprotected sex) in a given community are the main determinants of the spread of the virus.

According to aidsmap.com,
- HIV transmission has not been reported as a consequence of contact with spillages of blood, semen or other body fluids. Nevertheless awareness of the possible persistence of viable HIV in body fluids will encourage observation of infection control procedures.
- The chances of getting infected with HIV from water, nail prick from the ground, sewage, is quite low...

In summary, HIV can't survive outside the body. In minutes it will die and be harmless, but Universal Precautions such as safe sex, appropriate blood screening and transfusion procedures, etc should always be used.
Antibiotics have no preventive role against HIV.

VERY IMPORTANT MESSAGE:
HIV- positive persons who take their medicines religiously will enjoy good health and live normal lives as any other person in the society. It is wise to get tested and live responsibly.

Sources: 

http://www.afanlv.org

http://www.aidsmap.com/Survival-outside-the-body/page/1321278/

http://helpline.aidsvancouver.org/what-we-do/helpline/online/how-much-seconds-or-minutes-exactly-hiv-virus-remains-alive-outside-humanhttp://

www.who.int/hiv/abouthiv/en/