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 Andrew,
Please see the above post and Q1here:
https://i-base.info/qa/what-are-the-most-asked-questions
Hi. My wife and I just came back from the health department. We had a rapid HIV test done. It was the mouth swab one. My result came back positive. But her’s came back negative. After mines came back positive, the official highly recommended I’d do a blood test. I will get back my blood results in 1-2 weeks he says. But why did my rapid test comeback positive and my wife’s negative? This gives me hope that my positive could potentially be a false-positive, but time will determine that. I am truly scared and frightened.
Hi James,
If you’re positive, you need to be on meds. This will help you control your HIV. For more info, please see here:
http://i-base.info/guides/starting
Being on meds is also very important stopping HIV transmission.
If you’ve been having sex with your wife without using a condom and since you’ve been positive there is a risk that she too will be positive. Therefore, its very important that she has a test. This is urgent due to her pregnancy.
This may be a hard thing to do, however if she is positive she will need to be on meds. If she isn’t she risks infecting your baby.
I tested negative back in 2015. However, I tested positive on 18th May, 2017. My partner is pregnant and I have not told her cos of fear of how she might feel. I haven’t started any treatment cos I don’t know what to do. Should I tell my wife?
Hi Yanda,
Please see Q’s 1 and 9 here:
https://i-base.info/qa/what-are-the-most-asked-questions
Hi last week i had sex with an HIV positive person, we were using protection when he penetrated me from behind he took the condom off. But i saw this in a like 5 seconds and pushed hin away. What are the chances of me being infected?
Hi Maurice,
Please see Q’s 1, 5 and 8 here:
https://i-base.info/qa/what-are-the-most-asked-questions
I after 1 year of unprotected sex, we found out my partner was reactive. I had my 4th gen on the 7th week and 3rd gen on the 3rd month with both negative result. Is it conclusive already or do you have any suggestion regarding any test that can help me free from my worries? Thank you.
Hi Steve,
If you’ve had both a negative and positive result, this needs to be confirmed. If it comes back that you are positive, please contact us.