There are ONLY four modes of transmission of HIV
1. Unprotected sex (vaginal, anal or oral sex) with an infected person
2. Sharing contaminated syringes, needles or other sharp instruments
3. From HIV infected mother to her child during pregnancy, childbirth or breast feeding
4. Blood transfusion with blood contaminated with HIV.

All these ways of transmittion of HIV can be prevented.
HIV is not transmitted through day-to-day non-sexual contact. You cannot be infected by shaking someone’s hand, by hugging someone, sharing clothes, using the same toilet or by drinking from the same glass or plate as a person living with HIV. HIV is not transmitted through coughing or sneezing like some other diseases.
But you cannot tell someone has HIV just by looking at them. He/she may not belong to a specific so called “high risk group”. A person living with HIV may look healthy and feel good just like you. A blood test is the only way a person can find out if he or she is infected with HIV. So one has to adopt preventive measures to limit the risk of HIV

How can you limit the risk of getting HIV through sex ?
 Till you reach an age where you can take responsibility for the consequences, it is best to abstain from sex. It is also the surest way of preventing HIV infection.
 Masturbation and body sex are equally safe ways to satisfy the sexual urge.
 If you are in a relationship, remain faithful with an uninfected equally faithful partner
 If you must have multiple partners, limit your number of sex partners. The fewer partners you have, the less likely you are to encounter someone who is infected with HIV or another STD
 Use male or female condoms correctly each time you have sex.

How can people who inject drugs to reduce their HIV risk?
 Use a new, sterile syringe to prepare and inject drugs each time.
 Never re-use needles, syringes, drug-preparation equipment and never share with other people

How can you reduce the risk of HIV from blood transfusion with contaminated blood?
Opt for blood transfusion if it is absolutely neceaasry.
 Take blood from registered blood banks only.

How can you reduce mother-to-child transmission of HIV?
 Antiretroviral drugs administered to the pregnant mother before and during the birth of the child.
 Antiretroviral drugs to the child after birth.
 Caesarian section birth.
 Seek advice from a health professional on breastfeeding. If possible avoid breastfeeding if you are living with HIV but only when replacement feeding is acceptable, feasible, affordable, sustainable and safe. If you are breast feeding, you need to continue taking ART during this period to reduce the risk of transmitting HIV to the baby.