Question
My boyfriend's viral load is undetectable but the condom came off inside me
13 November 2010. Related: All topics, CD4 and viral load, HIV transmission.
My boyfriend is HIV positive.
He takes his medicine and his viral load is undectectable, but I’m afraid because we used a condom but it came off inside me. Will I be infected?
Answer
The risk of a single exposure from vaginal sex when your partner has an undetectable viral load is very low.
The risk of a single exposure from anal sex when your partner has an undetectable viral load is also very low, but probably a little higher.
It is difficult to give any precise estimates of the risks as there are only a few studies to base this information on.
PEP (Post Exposure Prophylaxis) is a course of one month of HIV treatment to reduce the risk of infection. The earlier it is taken the more effective it is likely to be.
Some guidelines recommend using PEP treatment following any risk when the partner is HIV-positive. Some guidelines think that the risk is so low that PEP is not recommended when the partner has an undetectable viral load.
PEP is not thought to have any effect more than 72 hours after the exposure.