Question
Why did my partner test positive when I tested negative?
19 April 2022. Related: All topics, HIV transmission, Sero different couples.
My partner and I have been together for six years. He tested positive three years ago.
Automatically assuming I would be infected already we continued to have unsafe sex. I never went for a test until three years later in 2012.
He was beginning his treatment and wanted me to do the same, but when I went to my local clinic I tested HIV negative.
Can I trust these results or should I worry about testing HIV positive in near future? I’m so confused!
Answer
The risk of catching HIV is low compared to many other infections.
So your situation is common to still be negative even if without condoms with someone who is HIV positive. Your negative result is also related to good luck – so it is not good to rely on this in the future.
As your partner has just started treatment, the risk of transmission will already be much lower. Then, once his viral load becomes undetectable the risk is effectively zero.
The PARTNER studies showed that ART stops sexual transmission. For example, after more than 100,000 times that an HIV positive person had sex without a condom with an HIV negative partner, there were ZERO transmissions. Viral load just needs to be undetectable on ART.
This and other studies led to the U=U campaign (undetectable = untransmittable).
https://i-base.info/u-equals-u/
This guide to HIV testing and risks of sexual transmission includes more info on transmission risk. Also, the answer to Question 9 on our most asked questions page:
Can we stop using condoms if viral load is undetectable on treatment?
If your partner is not on treatment or if he still has detectable viral load, then using condoms will make sure you stay negative. Another option is to talk to your doctor about PtRP, which is where you can take a pill that will protect you against HIV. The UK guide to PrEP has more info.
Note: This answer was updated in 2016, 2018 and 2022 from a question first posted online in July 2012.
Hi
If the HIV test is always negative, then you don’t have HIV. This means there is no reason to take HIV medicine.
You doctor needs to find out whether there are other problems.
I am sorry to hear about husband and know this must have been difficult.
My husband died of HIV 8 years ago n his girlfreind but I’ve been testing negative,but I am always week in n out from hospitals but they dnt find the virus. Should I start taking medication to be safer?
Hi Sphume,
You can find the answer to a similar question here:
http://i-base.info/qa/7051
Me and my partner we are hiv positive so my question is do we have unprotected sex because we both positive?
I’m sorry to hear about your diagnosis.
It is common for one partner in a relationship to test positive and the other to test negative. This is because HIV is not transmitted every time someone has sex without a condom. This can be the case for years sometimes.
Starting treatment will also help protect your baby from becoming positive.
You can find more information about being newly diagnosed here:
http://i-base.info/if-you-have-just-found-out-you-are-hiv-positive/
And more information about HIV transmission here:
http://i-base.info/guides/testing/risk-hiv-status
Hi i am 10 weeks pregnant and just tested hiv positive and my husband of 13 years is negative, have two babies who are both negative and i never had an affair. My viral load is 598, i still dont understand how this happened.
Hi,
Are you still pregnant?
Either way your baby is not at risk from your partner’s HIV. She can’t catch HIV unless you have it. You also cannot get HIV from normal day to day interaction.
If you are still pregnant you should make sure that you are using condoms when having sex. Pregnancy increases your risk for HIV transmission.
My boyfriend is positive and i’m always testing and it comes out negative. I haven’t tested my baby, can she be at risk?
Hi,
Congratulations on your pregnancy!
Your baby should be negative. The only way for it to be positive is if you are.
It is important to use protection when you’re having sex while pregnant. Pregnancy increases the risk of HIV transmission taking place.
You can find information about HIV and pregnancy here: http://i-base.info/guides/pregnancy
if i am negative and he is positive and if i am pregnant already is our baby going to be negative