Question
How can my partner test HIV positive and I test HIV negative?
16 January 2018. Related: All topics, HIV testing, HIV transmission, Newly diagnosed, Sero different couples.
I went to test HIV with my partner.
I found out that she is positive and I was negative. After six months i went back I tested negative.
Please help as I don’t understand.
Answer
Thanks for your question as your situation is very common.
Has your partner’s positive HIV test been checked by a second test in a lab. All rapid tests, need a positive result to be confirmed. This is because of the small chance of a false-positive result.
If the second test (called “western blot”) is positive then your partner is definitely positive. In this case, how is your partner doing and does she have support?
Even if your partner is HIV positive, it is common for one person in a couple to test positive and the other negative. This can happen even if they have bot been using condoms. This is mostly just luck. Over time, most people will catch HIV if they continue to have sex without a condom.
Even though you have not caught HIV so far, you can still catch HIV in the future. Genetics may explain some cases of protection, but most are just down to luck and chance.
Now you know your partners HIV status, you can still stay together and have sex safely. Condoms or PrEP are both really effective at stopping HIV and not sharing needles.
Also, after your partner gets an undetectable viral load on treatment, the risk drops to zero – even without condoms. The PARTNER study reported no transmission with an undetectable viral load. this was after about 900 couple had sex 58,000 without condoms (over several years).
Note: This answer was updated in January 2018 and October 2014 from a question from June 2011. i-Base no longer answers individual questions about HIV transmission and risk. (See: Question 1, 5, 6 and 9 at this link).
thanks
It’s good that your wife is on medication because with HIV treatment her viral load can go down to undetectable. And that can dramatically reduce the risk to your baby during pregnancy and delivery. Having an undetectable viral load can also reduce risk when breastfeeding.
Here in the UK HIV treatment guidelines recommend bottle feeding. But you might live in a country where you can’t get formula, clean bottles and sterilising equipment. If this is the case, the WHO (World Health Organisation) says that mothers who are on HIV treatment should exclusively breastfeed for 6 months. After that the baby can be weaned onto a safe diet without breastfeeding.
It’s not recommended that you switch the way you feed your baby because this can increase the risk to your baby’s health.
You can find out more about looking after your health and your baby’s health here:
http://i-base.info/guides/pregnancy
Hi,I just married September 2015 and by January 2016 my wife got pregnant, surprising she tested HIV positive. It was when we went to check for her pregnancy status. I tested HIV negative but am living in a very doubtful condition, what should I do coz for her she is now on medication? Is it possible for her to breastfeed the baby after delivery?
This is answered above.
I tested for HIV in 2011 and found negative but my wife tested positive,how true is this?
Hi Barau, you have been lucky in being negative. You girlfriend will need support though. When she starts treatment and gets an undetectable viral load, then HIV levels are so low that transmission become very difficult. See: https://i-base.info/qa-on-the-partner-study/. Until then, it is best to use condoms.
after having sex with my girlfriend, 3days later she was tested and found HIV positive. at the Same Day I got my test and it’s negative up till nown I feel myself healthy strong and i always play soccer for the last 8 month what’s the solution?
HI Ervin – if you have a question you would like answered – please post it at this link.
https://i-base.info/qa/ask-a-question?
Thankz for the information looking forward for the respond thankz
Hi Puleng – thanks – you will be fine to do this. It is good that your husband is not on treatment. This will also protect you from catching HIV.