Question
How am I positive and my partners and children all test negative?
13 April 2022. Related: Adherence, All topics, HIV transmission, Living with HIV long-term, Sero different couples.
Hi, I want to know if for 18 years you knew you are HIV positive, but every partner has remained negative. Everyone but me always testa negative. I have no sign that I am sick but when it comes to testing, it is always positive. How is that possible?..my kids also test negative.
Answer
Hi, how are you doing?
Transmission of HIV is not very black and white and there are a number of factors that can change the risk.
Are you on treatment? If you are and you have a viral load below 200 this means that you cannot pass on HIV via sex and it greatly reduces the risk of passing on HIV to your children. This is explained by U=U.
In rare circumstances there are people who are not on treatment but they are still able to suppress the HIV in their body and are also unable to pass on HIV. These people are termed Elite Controllers however this is very rare and does not always offer long term protection.
Do you know your current viral load?
Viral load is also not the only determining factor of transmission. The type of sex, methods of transmission, other medications. These are all factors that change risk and this is further explained here.
Josh.