Which is a common mode of HIV transmission?

Needle sharing is a well-documented mode of HIV transmission. When individuals share needles or syringes, they expose themselves to blood that may contain the virus. HIV is present in certain body fluids, particularly blood, and sharing needles can directly transfer these fluids from one person to another, increasing the risk of infection significantly.

In contrast, the other options provided do not represent common modes of transmission for HIV. Contact with infected surfaces, sharing food and drinks, and insect bites do not enable the virus to spread effectively. HIV cannot survive long outside the human body, making transmission through contact with surfaces unlikely. Sharing consumables does not typically involve transferring sufficient quantities of the virus to cause infection, and insect bites do not transmit HIV, as the virus is not carried by insects in a manner that would allow for transmission during a bite.