Question
If I have unprotected sex with other HIV positive people will I get resistance?
15 January 2017. Related: All topics, HIV reinfection (superinfection), HIV transmission, Resistance.
Hi,
I’m a HIV positive gay male aged 27, infected and diagnosed three years ago. I am currently healthy with a CD4 count of 560 and a viral load of 35,000 and not yet on any medication.
I’ve been scared to sleep with other positive men through fear of catching treatment resistant strains or worse. I am a passive partner and I’m afraid my question does relate to unprotected sex. I am aware of the risks associated therein, afterall it got me in this situation!
I would like to know if I were to sleep with a HIV positive guy, is it better for me if he is on meds and undetectable or would that put me more at risk of developing resistance?
Now I can ‘sero-sort’ I’d like to know what’s likely to be the safest way to prevent my situation getting any worse, be it developing drug resistance, superinfection or other hard to treat infections?
I am also immunised against hepatitis B. Am I truly safe against this if I were to unknowingly come into contact with it?
Many thanks
Answer
Thank you for your question.
Having an undetectable viral load on treatment will be better both for you and your partner.
This is because the meds also stop HIV from being transmitted. Even if your partner has drug resistance, and undetectable viral load means HIV won’t be transmitted.
Even though your CD4 count is still strong above 500, treatment guidelines still recommend treatment (ART) for your own health too.
This article explains why U=U (undetectable viral load = untransmittable HIV).
https://i-base.info/htb/32308
The HBV vaccine is also very effective. Your doctor will check you have a good immune response after your vaccination. This protectional usually lasts for at least five years but your doctor can also check this in can you need a booster in the future.
For any further information or if you need any support then please do not hesitate to contact us on the treatment information helpline (Mon-Wed 12-4pm)
The information in this answer was updated in January 2017 from a post in May 2010. Please see: Question 9 at this link for more information.
Hi I’ve been on treatment for hiv for 3 years and my partner has just started this year. But my problem is he does not get well Since he started he’s lost weight from 100 to 85 now. And in the clinic they found that he is diabetic also. I really want to help him.
Hi, It’s not easy to get HIV so you might not be HIV positive too. But it’s important for your own health that you use condoms now, and that you have an HIV test.
My boyfriend is positive and he was hiding it from me and I have been sleeping with him without a condom.
Hi Lebo,
HPV the virus that causes warts is different from HIV, HPV instead of HIV Many many people have HPV, often without realising it. It is also not as serious as HIV. While HIV transmission between two women is extremely rare HPV is much easier to transmit, but also less serious.
I am a 35 years old lesbian, I have been dating my partner for 5 years now and she is HIV positive since 2007 and has only started with the ARVs a year ago. I got tested positive for HPV warts. How possible is this, Since I’m HIV negative?
Quetion on transmission are answered on this page:
https://i-base.info/qa/factsheets/hiv-transmission-and-testing
If happens sleep with the person whos is positive once n didnt ejaculate and you are negative how possible is it to become positive
Hi Veronica
If your viral load is undetectable on treatment then your partner will not be likely to catch HIV.
Being on treatment dramatically reduces this risk, perhaps close to zero, esepcially for heterosexual couples.
Am hiv posative am on treatment I have had unprotected sex with a stranger whom are negative, his circumcised and am worried. Am healthy and have a high CD 4 count.can he be infected
Hi
Your question is about two things.
If someone has sex with you that you do not agree to, this might be classed as assualt. Without going into more details – and i-Base is not the organisation to do this – it is difficult to comment further.
What did you partner say afterwards when you talked about this? Is he on treatment?
In terms of HIV risk, this is liekly to be low becasue (i) this was only one occasion and HIV is generaly difficult to catch; and (ii) because your partner did not ejaculate.
If your partner is on treatment with an undetectable viral load, the risk will be even lower and might perhaps be close to zero.
This can still be difficult but having an HIV test is the only way to confirm this.
Depending on how you are managing this, you could have an HIV test two weeks afterwards and other one two weeks after this.
If you are generally handling this okay, then the test after four weeks is much more accurate and useful.