A couple of things have been on my mind lately. I'm wondering if anyone knows the answer to these questions:

1) Why is it HIV isn't exchanged via saliva? What makes saliva different from other body fluids in which HIV is found such as blood, semen and breastmilk?

2) There is an HIV test that is based on a cheek swab, right? I'm not sure which test it is. Anyway, if I do not have HIV and I kiss (open mouth, saliva exchange) a person who is HIV+ and, shortly after, I have the cheek swab HIV test performed, is it possible my results could come back positive? If not, why? ...especially if I just exchanged saliva with the HIV+ person? And, how does the cheek swab HIV test work?


..I'm just trying to get a better understanding. Thanks guys!

When ever you eat food notice how you keep the food between you're cheek and gums .
In you're inner cheek there's thousands of small pores that flood you're food with antibodies .
Also saliva contains acids , antiviral substances , and also the good bacteria that lives in you're mouth .
When an oral test is given the toothbrush like collector has salt on it .
It is placed between you're inner cheek and lower gum and rubbed back and forth like tooth brush stimulating the pores and the salt sweats out the oral fluid from you're inner cheek that contains the antibodies .
The oral test does not look for the virus itself just the antibodies .
The only test that looks for the virus directly is a ( PCR TEST )
After at least the 4 week mark after any last possable exposure .
I've been a bit under the weather due to interferon ( for hepatitas C )
But I hope I answerd some of you're question .

Very informative.

Hope that you are feeling ok Lost Spirit, dont like to hear your under the weather.

Lost Sprit, thank you for taking the time to answer my questions. That was very informative. It seems like kissing wouldn't provide an exchange of saliva antibodies (or enough of an exchange of antibodies) to show up during the swab test - if I'm understanding. :p

I hope you are feeling better, my friend.

Feel better, we'll be waiting for you!!

lost spirit, hope the interferon is going well for you. i've been hep c free for about a year and a half now. did the peginterferon alfa2a with ribivarin. knocked it out in 8 weeks. best wishes and hang in there!!!