# Can I get HIV from a mosquito?

**URL:** <https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-i-get-hiv-from-a-mosquito/365773>\
**Category:** Factual Questions\
**Created:** [July 24, 2006, 3:02am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-i-get-hiv-from-a-mosquito/365773 "2006-07-24T03:02:12Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 4\
**Page:** 1

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**Author:** ![copperwindow](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/4af34b/32.png) [@copperwindow](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/copperwindow)\
**Post date:** [July 24, 2006, 3:02am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-i-get-hiv-from-a-mosquito/365773/1 "2006-07-24T03:02:12Z")

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If a mosquito bites someone with HIV and then bites me, can I get HIV? If not, why?

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**Author:** ![astro](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/9dc877/32.png) [@astro](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/astro)\
**Post date:** [July 24, 2006, 3:14am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-i-get-hiv-from-a-mosquito/365773/2 "2006-07-24T03:14:40Z")

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[Can I get HIV from mosquitoes?](http://www.cdc.gov/HIV/pubs/faq/faq32.htm)

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**Author:** ![copperwindow](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/4af34b/32.png) [@copperwindow](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/copperwindow)\
**Post date:** [July 24, 2006, 3:26am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-i-get-hiv-from-a-mosquito/365773/3 "2006-07-24T03:26:16Z")

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[QUOTE=CDC Article]  
Rather, they fly to a resting place to digest the blood meal.  
I’ve always learned that they use blood to reproduce, not digest it.

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**Author:** ![astro](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/9dc877/32.png) [@astro](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/astro)\
**Post date:** [July 24, 2006, 3:37am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-i-get-hiv-from-a-mosquito/365773/4 "2006-07-24T03:37:19Z")

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[QUOTE=copperwindow]

> [@CDC Article](#):
>
> Rather, they fly to a resting place to digest the blood meal.  
> I’ve always learned that they use blood to reproduce, not digest it.

[The blood meal is “digested”, it’s just that the nutrients are necessary for egg development.](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mosquitoes)

> [@](#):
>
> The females require protein for egg development, and since the normal mosquito diet consists of nectar and fruit juice, which has no protein, most must drink blood. Males differ from females, with mouth parts not suitable for blood sucking