Question
Have I passed on HIV because I was late with my treatment?
17 June 2023. Related: Access to treatment, Adherence, All topics, CD4 and viral load, HIV transmission.
Hello, I’m a 25 year old HIV positive woman. I have been undetectable for a year now. But I missed a week of Biktarvy due to a delay on my refill. When I received my medicine the following week, I automatically started taking it like usual. 2 weeks after, I had protected sex with a guy (he knows that I’m HIV positive) but the condom slipped off during sex. Days after, he became very sick, sore throat, trouble swallowing, vomiting and trouble breathing at night. 1 month after, I told him about my fear that I might have transmitted it to him but he said he donated plasma at CSL Plasma every week and if he did have something they will contact him. I insisted that he at least do an oral test, it was negative (1 month after the incident). But I’m still anxious, it is possible that me missing doses for a week made me detectable again? (my last lab work my viral load was below 20) Do you think he contract HIV?
Answer
Hi, how are you doing?
No. The risk of transmission to your partner is very low to no risk at all.
As you had been undetectable, viral load rebound after being on biktarvy can be more than a week.
As you had restarted as soon as you could and continued to take treatment as normal, it si likely your viral load remain undetectable. This remains true given that your most recent test showed you had a suppressed viral load.
Your partner having symptoms after having sex is not suggestive of HIV. It would have been too early for this to be a sign of transmission.
You do not have a reason to be anxious.
Josh.