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).
Hi,my husband tested HIV positive, nd currently starting his treatment. I tested negative. We always use a condom,wil I b at risk if I do foreplay wth him?
Hi, If your partner’s viral load in undetectable on HIV meds, then you are not at risk. That’s even without a condom. The reasons to use condoms are for pregnancy and other STIs.
Most questions about transmission and testing have been answered here:
https://i-base.info/qa/factsheets/hiv-transmission-and-testing
I also tested negative while my partner is positive. I’m even afraid of sleeping with her as I’m uncomfortable. And it seems unfair to her.
I’m so sorry to hear that you lost the baby.
But it’s good that you are now on HIV treatment (ART). It’s important that you continue to take your meds because – when HIV is undetectable in your viral load test – it will dramatically reduce the risk to your partner. The risk to your partner, if you’re not using condoms, can be assessed from your viral load test. But your CD4 count is just a way to measure how well your immune system is working.
If you want to try again for a baby, you can talk to the clinic about how to do it.
You can find out more about HIV, pregnancy and women’s health here:
http://i-base.info/guides/pregnancy
Hi I tested HIV positive on 6 January 2016, then boyfriend tested HIV negetive and we were having un-protected sex all the time. I immediately took the treatment as I was 5 weeks pregnant but lost the baby on my first trimester and I havent had any signs or symptoms of the virus. So my concern is that I’m still having unprotected sex with my partner and have not received my results as to see my CD4 count. Can this endanger him too to the virus?
This question is answered above – you have just been very lucky. I am more worried about your partner. If you have questions about his treatment please let me know.
My partner of 8 years is currently lying in hospital very ill with AIDS. For the past 8 years we have been having unprotected sex. I tested negative, how is this possible?
Hi Letticia – this is something that you boyfiend needs to talk to his doctor about. I don’t know enough about other sexual problmes to comment, but it sounds like it would be good to get this looked at. It is not likely to be related to HIV.
Hi my boyfriend is hiv positive and am negative we always use protection so my question is always when he is about to reach climax he have pains on his penis
Hi John, It’s good news that your wife is pregnant, congratulations!
Is she on HIV treatment (ART)? It’s important that she is on ART so that both she and the baby stay healthy.
You can find out more about HIV, women’s health and pregnancy here:
http://i-base.info/guides/pregnancy
Also please see the FAQ testing page:
https://i-base.info/qa/factsheets/hiv-transmission-and-testing