Question
Can I have unprotected sex with somebody who is also HIV-positive?
22 August 2008. Related: All topics, HIV reinfection (superinfection), HIV transmission, Resistance.
Hi
Thanks for such an informative site.
What’s the score on having unprotected sex with someone who is HIV-positive if you are also positive (bearing in mind you have made it clear to them)? Are there different strains of the virus? Is it more difficult to treat long term if you mix HIV partners?
Answer
You can, as long as your partner has the same strain of virus
Although I understand your caution for anything other than using a condom every time two HIV-positive people have sex, I don’t think this is a reason to support that view. Even though after 25 years there are very few studies that provide details about real risk of infection or reinfection, by definition, this is likely to be with the current dominant strain.
In your example, where earlier resistance may have reverted to a minority sub-population, it will not be the dominant infectious strain.
Given that HIV is generally still a difficult virus to catch in many circumstances, the risk from reinfection is more likely to come from resistance in the majority virus,
I am not so sure about that advice. A virus showing mutations on a previous genotype can revert back to wild type after a given period of time. And though the subsequent genotypes might show wild type, the previous mutation would be considered a minor variant in the strain that can still be spread. So, unless a person has had their genotype done from day one of infection, I would not recommend mingling virus with anyone.