Question

Is it possible to sleep with someone HIV positive and not get HIV?

23 November 2022. Related: All topics, HIV transmission, Sero different couples.

I started to sleep with someone who has had HIV since 2018 up until now. Last month I tested negative. Is this possible?

Answer

Answer: Josh Peasegood

Hi, how are you doing?

Yes this is possible. The most probable reason is that your partner is on treatment. While on treatment with a viral load below 200, it is not possible to pass on HIV via sex. This means even without a condom or PrEP, there is no risk of HIV transmission. This is explained by U=U. This stands for when people have an undetectable viral load (below 200), it is not possible for HIV to be transmitted.

There are other factors that can influence the risk of HIV transmission. Sleeping with someone who is positive does not mean you will become HIV positive yourself. These factors inc. type of sex, positions and length of time. More are discussed here.

Josh

64 comments

  1. Simon Collins •

    Hi Frans, please see llinks here for more info:
    https://i-base.info/qa/11844

    Link number 3 about U=U shows that if your partner was taking effective HIV meds the risk is zero. Maybe your partner didn’t realise this or didn’t trust your reaction.

  2. Frans •

    Hi
    I sleep with other lady around June but we didn’t even have more than 3 minutes after he said I must stop cos she’s positive. So I don’t know if I’m affected or not.

  3. Simon Collins •

    Hi Siyanda, this service isn’t for people worried about their risk. Please see links here that answer your Q’s:
    https://i-base.info/qa/11844

    You test negative so you don’t have HIV.

  4. Siyanda •

    It’s been a year now l sleep with someone who have a HIV last month l test negative

  5. Simon Collins •

    Hi Agnes, thanks, if your partner is on effective meds these also protect you from risk, even if you don’t use condoms. Please see the info at this link:
    https://i-base.info/u-equals-u/

  6. Agnes •

    l sleep with someone who us HIV positive for the past 1 week and he told me today,,, and he is on his medical is it posible for me to get infected

  7. Josh Peasegood •

    Hi Norset, please see here for more information about testing and transmission: https://i-base.info/qa/factsheets/hiv-transmission-and-testing

  8. Norest •

    Whats the first step after having sex with someone who is positive while im negative

  9. Josh Peasegood •

    Hi Thandeka, this depends on if you are taking treatment. If you are on treatment and have a viral load below 200, there is no risk of transmission. This is called U=U: https://i-base.info/guides/testing/uu-undetectable-untransmittable

    It means that when your viral load is this low because of treatment, there is so little HIV that sex without protection is not a risk. Even if you have a higher viral load than this, treatment will still significantly reduce the risk of transmission and be considered low-risk. PEP would not be needed in this case.

    For more information about transmission please see here: https://i-base.info/qa/factsheets/hiv-transmission-and-testing

  10. Thandeka •

    If you are HIV positive and you sleep with your partner without protection can he also be affected