Does underwear protects against the HIV virus? I mean, if there some fluid (semen or blood) get contact to my pants and later this wet pants material get contact with my bleeding anus, is it any risk that virus leave pants and go straight to my blood stream?

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Home / Answered Questions / Does underwear protects against the HIV virus? I mean, if there some fluid (semen or blood) get contact to my pants and later this wet pants material get contact with my bleeding anus, is it any risk that virus leave pants and go straight to my blood stream?

Does underwear protects against the HIV virus? I mean, if there some fluid (semen or blood) get contact to my pants and later this wet pants material get contact with my bleeding anus, is it any risk that virus leave pants and go straight to my blood stream?

Hi, and thanks for your question

As far as we know, there has never been an incidence of HIV spread this way. HIV does not live outside of the body on surfaces or clothing. Even if there was HIV-infected blood on clothing, the virus would die within a few seconds and would not be able to infect another person.

Our HIV and AIDS page as well as our STIs at a Glance chart can be useful in understanding how STIs including HIV are passed from one person to another.

Let us know if this does not answer your question or if you have any more questions or concerns.
Health Nurse

This answer was posted on March 7, 2019.

This answer was updated on February 7, 2022.