system
Given the following post, respond as if you're commenting on Reddit:
human
Why isn't the mosquito an intermediate host for HIV/AIDS? Can it be?

I am reading *In Praise of Wolves* by R.D. Lawrence and I just learned mosquitos are an intermediate host for *Dirofilaria imitis* (common dog heartworm) as well as malaria and encephalitis. How does the mosquito transfer the disease? Is it through blood contact? If so, is it theoretically possible to contract HIV/AIDS from a mosquito bite if he is carrying the pathogen?
gpt
HIV is an extremely fragile virus and it cannot use intermediate hosts -- it doesn't infect anything other than humans.

Some viruses, for instance influenza, can survive outside a host for extended periods of time (hours, days, or even weeks in the case of influenza, if the conditions are favorable).  Some viruses, again like influenza, infect more than one type of organism (e.g. humans, chickens, pigs).

HIV isn't like that.  Once it leaves the host's body it last for mere minutes before it breaks apart.  Tweak the conditions even a little bit, like adding some saliva (HIV can't even be transmitted human to human via saliva) and it doesn't last for any amount of time at all.