Question
How can my partner test HIV positive and I test HIV negative?
16 January 2018. Related: All topics, HIV testing, HIV transmission, Newly diagnosed, Sero different couples.
I went to test HIV with my partner.
I found out that she is positive and I was negative. After six months i went back I tested negative.
Please help as I don’t understand.
Answer
Thanks for your question as your situation is very common.
Has your partner’s positive HIV test been checked by a second test in a lab. All rapid tests, need a positive result to be confirmed. This is because of the small chance of a false-positive result.
If the second test (called “western blot”) is positive then your partner is definitely positive. In this case, how is your partner doing and does she have support?
Even if your partner is HIV positive, it is common for one person in a couple to test positive and the other negative. This can happen even if they have bot been using condoms. This is mostly just luck. Over time, most people will catch HIV if they continue to have sex without a condom.
Even though you have not caught HIV so far, you can still catch HIV in the future. Genetics may explain some cases of protection, but most are just down to luck and chance.
Now you know your partners HIV status, you can still stay together and have sex safely. Condoms or PrEP are both really effective at stopping HIV and not sharing needles.
Also, after your partner gets an undetectable viral load on treatment, the risk drops to zero – even without condoms. The PARTNER study reported no transmission with an undetectable viral load. this was after about 900 couple had sex 58,000 without condoms (over several years).
Note: This answer was updated in January 2018 and October 2014 from a question from June 2011. i-Base no longer answers individual questions about HIV transmission and risk. (See: Question 1, 5, 6 and 9 at this link).
I have been on treatment for 5years now.and we are blessed with a son again who is negative.my hubby for 25years he is still negative
Hi Susan – thanks for sharing your experience which sounds difficult. I hope that you are okay now. Please let me know if you wanted other information.
I have been married for 25yrs.l was raped 24yrs ago when l was pregnant.when l gave birth we went for test my Child came my child came out positive and l came out positive.but my husband is still negative.
Hi, This is a really lovely message for Smith. And it’s good to make sure your wife is taking treatment and that she’s healthy for many years. Perhaps it’s not such a good idea to still have unprotected sex because you’re at risk of getting HIV even if you’re still negative now. You can talk to your clinic about getting some support about this.
Hi Smith, I’ve been married to my wife for ten years now. She tested HIV positive and I tested negative. I test myself every year and I still test negative. Love your wife she really needs you, we also had unprotected sex.
Hi
Although your situation seems complicated, you can work through everything together and still have a great life together incuding having a family.
This is difficult for both of you and it is great that you want to work through everything.
Do you know your wife’s CD4 count? When she starts treatment, this will reduce viral load so that it is difficult for you or any future children to be at risk.
Take things a day at a time getting through this.
Find a good doctor and find out about treatment and please ask me if you have other questions.
i don’t know wht to do, i noticed my wife is hiv positive and i tested negative few days to our wedding and she didnt tell me course i was not around when the result given to her to send to the church for clearance, but when i called to know the out come of the text she told me all was well and we went ahead with the wedding only a week after our wedding my wife called my attention and told me we needed to talk but i should promise never to lick d secret to any one so i gave her my promise.
then she she told me on that day we went for the text that d doctor confirmed to her that she tested positive and i tested negative she never believed but also went as far as consulting from other lab only to find out same positive result , she was confused and dont know wht to do and i my self was field with fear because for 3/4 years of courtship we have being having unprotected sex both oral but am shocked d@ i still test negative and she text positive…………. i am confused cos my marriage is just a month old and i love her so much and don’t wan to loos her we are both keeping this from our families but don’t know hw long.. my problem is we are trying to make babies even before i got dis shocking words from her, i am scared and don’t know wht to do…………… i need an advise from a matured mind pls cos am loosing my mind
Hi,
You can find information about this i the answer to the question above.
I am equally in the same situation like my brother who asked this question, I have been having unprotected sex with my positive wife for one year now and still negative.
Hi,
It is common for one partner in a couple to be positive and one negative. You can find more information about this in the answer to the question above.