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.
Good evening Dr, I want to get married this November,an discovered my wife is HIV positive, while am negative. I discovered this result last year November, an we still have sex, up till this year I went for a test this year August an still discovered am negative. Plz is it normal? Kindly respond via my mail. Thank u.
Please read this article about how HIV treatment makes transmission very difficult:
http://i-base.info/qa-on-the-partner-study
Plz help me my partner has been on hiv treatment for past 4 years and we always having unprotected sex i went for hiv test both rapid and elisa test i tested negative about four times and now im scared to go en test what advice would give me
Hi Joseph
How is your partner coping – as they are now dealing with HIV that is real?
Your risks are much lower and there is a lot of information in the next two links.
Information about HIV transmission and testing are already online at the FAQ page.
http://i-base.info/qa/factsheets/hiv-transmission-and-testing
or in this guide:
http://i-base.info/guides/testing
it’s like a month now,since i did unprotected sex, later we went with my patner for a check ups or vct,after tested my patner’results came positive, and mine negative, now am totally confused that soon am going to be affected, please help me here
Hi Lindiwe
Answers to questions on transmission and testing are already online at the FAQ page.
http://i-base.info/qa/factsheets/hiv-transmission-and-testing
or in this guide:
http://i-base.info/guides/testing
HIV is not an easy virus to catch, so you have just been lucky this time. Unless your partner is on HIV treatment, it is good to use a condom or PrEP to reduce the risk in the future.
I’m confused here can u be affected if u have sex with HIV positive person.sleep with him 3times bt he don’t sperm inside ur vigina.and when u get tested the result says negative?
Hi Roosevelt
Answers to questions on transmission and testing are already online at the FAQ page.
http://i-base.info/qa/factsheets/hiv-transmission-and-testing
or in this guide:
http://i-base.info/guides/testing
I always hear that having unprotected sex will often lead to HIV. But if I continue to have unprotected intercourse and anal sex the rest of my life with multiple different women who also test negative, will I ever become positive? Also, how do people actually become HIV positive? Are people just born with it or is it just easily spread with sharing needles? Like my question at the beginning, if both partners are HIV negative, how does one actually become infected with the virus? I’m so confused right now!
Unfortunately, we don’t have the resources to answer questions about testing and transmission.
Most questions about transmission and testing have been answered here:
http://i-base.info/qa/factsheets/hiv-transmission-and-testing