Question
Is kissing a risk to my partner with an undetectable viral load?
21 November 2011. Related: All topics, HIV transmission.
Hi… I am HIV+ and I’mm using ARV for 9 months. My viral load is undetectable and CD4 is 175… Can i infect my partner from deep kissing?
Answer
Firstly, and most importantly, kissing and deep kissing does not transmit HIV.
You will not put your partner at risk from kissing them.
As your viral load is undetectable, this makes you much less infectious, which should make you feel much more confident that your partner would not be at risk from kissing you.
Does your partner know you are HIV-positive?
Even though there is no risk to them, in many countries this is something that the law says is important to disclose to sexual partners. I’m not sure what the situation is in India and understand why this is difficult because of the fear of stigma.
Hi Jayden, thanks – great you are doing so well. Please don’t worry about this. The HIV meds will have reduced HIV to such low levels that this is not a risk. Actually, it is unlikely to be a risk even if you were not on ART. HIV is very unlikely to be transmitted this way even if you were not on ART.
Hi Im Jayden, I am positive in art for 2 years, undetectable with CD4 in 1324 in my last control (two days ago), I recently kissed with a boy and it was a deep kiss I hurt my lip and it broke blood coming out, I tasted the blood and probably he had contact with it, is there any risk of having infected my partner?
Hi Carestone, HIV is not transmitted through saliva. Kissing, even deep kissing, is not a risk for HIV transmission. You cannot catch HIV this way.
Hello, I’m carestone from Zambia I kissed someone who is HIV positive and it was a deep . I had a sore on my bottom lip and she never had any. Can I catch HIV in this way??
H Luis,
No there isn’t any risk of transmission. Your partner is fine. Please see here: http://i-base.info/u-equals-u/
Hi Im luis, I am positive in art for 2 years, undetectable with CD4 in 1324 in my last control (two days ago), I recently kissed with a boy and it was a deep kiss I hurt my lip and it broke blood coming out, I tasted the blood and probably he had contact with it, is there any risk of having infected my partner?