Q and A

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

Answer: Charlotte Walker

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.

113 comments

  1. Bongani •

    I want to know that I’m HIV , coz I loose weight and I’m always telling my self that I have the HIV , I got testing 3months back, I was not hiv positive even last year I was not bt now I want to test bt I dont hv time because of work bt all I want to know is that it will kill me?

  2. Simon Collins •

    Hi Ernest, it is very unlikely you became positive form one or two times. If your wife is on treatment becasue of the pregnancy, this risk to you might even be zero. Much better to enjoy life with your new family. Your wife and baby need your help and support at this time – you are very likely to be okay – and an HIV test is a few month is likely to confirm this.

  3. Ernest •

    i am married to a positive woman, we discovered it when she was pregnant, i got tested & the result was negative, she conceive a baby boy who is also negative, my fear now is i had unprotected sex with her several times, have i not infected? what to do?

  4. Simon Collins •

    Hi Tumi

    I am sorry about this trouble. There is not a test to show which person was infected first or ho infected who. Your former partner reaction does not sound right. You may be right about him being positive first but it is difficutl to comment. Usually it is better to just move on and I hope you former partner gets to this point too.

    More importantly, how are you doing? Do you have access to treatment for yourself and your baby?

  5. Tumi •

    Hi
    I found out that I was pregnant at 3 weeks and tested hiv+. I told my then partner and asked him to go test but he didn’t. We got into a huge fight and broke up and he told me that he tested negative but I don’t believe him. Somewhere deep down I think he is positive and been positive long before me and he did me to know. We got into a huge fight and ended up with lawyers and advocates saying that I might have infected him. My question is can you tell if one had it for longer than the other?

  6. Roy Trevelion •

    Unfortunately we no longer answer questions about transmission and testing. This information service is about HIV treatment for people who are HIV positive.

    Most questions about transmission and testing have been answered here:
    https://i-base.info/qa/factsheets/hiv-transmission-and-testing

  7. sunny •

    I had unprotected sex with a woman those status I do not know. I am bit worried whether it will lead me to HIV. What do I do in this case as HIV antibodies test will be effective after 3 or 6 months. Just the thought of it freaking me out although I am 99% sure that she is not HIV positive. What to do.

  8. Simon Collins •

    If an HIV positive perosn is on treatment with an undetectable viral load, the risk of transmission is very low, and perhaps cose to zero.

  9. adewale •

    Pls, I just want to know if I’m safe to have sex with someone with HIV if she’s on drugs?

  10. Roy Trevelion •

    Hi, It’s good that your partner has started treatment. But it’s important that he talks to the doctor about losing weight, as there could be another infection that’s causing it. He can ask the doctor to find out.

    But starting treatment should help his general health. His doctor will make sure there are no interactions between treatment for diabetes and his HIV meds