Question

What is the risk of causing transmission with a high CD4?

3 August 2015. Related: All topics, HIV transmission, Sero different couples.

I have a very high CD4 count of 800. What is the risk of transmitting the virus to someone during unprotected sex?

Answer

Answer: Robin Jakob

Hi,

CD4 count is not related to the chances of transmitting HIV. Being on treatment is though. The risk of HIV transmission falls steeply if a positive partner is on treatment. If he or she has an undetectable viral load that risk is extremely low – close to zero.

We know this because of a study called PARTNER. This looks at the risk of transmission of sex without a condom between a positive and a negative partner. The positive partner is on treatment and has an undetectable viral load. There were 44,500 occasions that couples on the study had sex without a condom and there were no transmissions. This included both vaginal and anal sex.

You can find more information about PARTNER on our website.