Question
I am on medication, is my partner at risk of HIV transmission?
14 June 2022. Related: All topics, CD4 and viral load, HIV transmission, PEP/PEPSE, PrEP.
I recently realised that I am HIV positive and right now I am on medication. I haven’t tested my viral load yet. During sex with my partner the condom broke and I am worried if my partner will get the virus.
Answer
Hi, how are you doing?
How long have you been on medication? After a month it is likely that your viral load is suppressed enough that there is no risk. This is explained by U=U.
When will you be able to test your viral load?
There are a number of other factors that change risk of transmission. These include which role you were during sex, how rigorous the sex was, and for how long.
Is your partner taking PrEP? This would prevent HIV transmission and there would be no risk (not needed if you have an undetectable viral load). This is a tablet you can take daily to stop transmission.
When did this occur? If it was within 72 hours and you can speak with a doctor, your partner may be able to start PEP. This a course of medication for 28 days that can stop transmission after an exposure if the risk was considered high.
Please see this link for more information about PEP:
https://i-base.info/qa/
Josh.
Hi Trx, below 400 makes it very hard to transmit HIV. U=U requires a viral load of below 200 to be considered untransmissable. However, a viral load between 200 and 400 is still considered a significant suppression that transmission would be very rare.
Can I trasmit HIV if viral load is <400