Question
Can I pass on HIV when my viral load is less than 30?
17 June 2022. Related: Adherence, All topics, CD4 and viral load, HIV transmission.
Hi, I think I have transmitted HIV to my partner. He is always complaining about flu but when I first met him my result was 25 copies and my last one was 30 copies. We had unprotected sex first time we met till now, is there by any chance I passed the HIV to him?
Answer
Hi, how are you doing?
No. You cannot pass on HIV while your viral load is this low. If your viral load is below 200 – which it is, you cannot pass on HIV via sex. This is explained by U=U.
Has your partner been to a doctor to talk about their ongoing flu? and have they been tested for HIV?
Josh.
Hello Harris and thank you for the question.
I am guessing you mean 22.4 copies/ml – please let me know if that is not the case.
Apologies for the clarification but here in the UK the results are reported in absolute numbers and don’t want to give you the wrong information.
So, the result you have sent means that you are undetectable (anything under 50 copies/ml is considered undetectable).
Congratulations for that. You are doing everything right.
Have you heard of U=U?
Here is some more information about it:
https://i-base.info/u-equals-u/
My viral load is 22.4 what is that means please
Hello KeKe and thanks for getting in touch.
This means you have an undetectable viral load
Congratulations and well done.
This is a result of you taking your medication daily and accurately.
This means you cannot pass on HIV to your sexual partners or your children.
Have you heard of U=U before?
Here is some more info: https://i-base.info/u-equals-u/
Also, here is some more info about how to read viral load, in case you need it in the future:
https://i-base.info/ttfa/learning-resources/log-value-to-number-conversion-table/
Hi my name is KeKe my HIV1-RNA says it’s value is <1.3 what does that mean. I had unprotected sex and my partner is worried?