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How Is HIV Contracted?

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Posted on Wed, 18 Nov 2015
Question: My boyfriend recently found out he was hiv positive. We have been together for 9 years and I have 2 children by him?
How did I not contract it?
doctor
Answered by Dr. Sandip Kabra (35 minutes later)
Brief Answer:
Transmission of HIV infection is dependent on viral load mainly.

Detailed Answer:
Hello,
welcome to health care magic,

Firstly of all, I am sorry to hear about your boyfriend's recent diagnosis.

The transmission of HIV infection is dependent on a number of factors including whether your partner is on treatment or not and what his viral load is.

It is possible for you to test HIV negative whilst your husband tests HIV positive. This is not uncommon and there are many couples in your situation.

Also,the risk of catching HIV relates to many things like as i said your partner’s viral load (means how infections he is) or whether he is on treatment.

Mostly person becomes a source of infection through his body fluids like blood,semen,urine,sweat or even saliva when he develops heavy viral load in blood or heavy HIV RNA copies in blood,then our body starts secreting HIV virus through body fluids out of the body and thus person becomes highly infectious during that time.

Also,not every exposure results in HIV being passed on. And you may also have just been lucky so far.

But it doesn’t mean that you are protected as you could still be at risk of getting HIV later on.so it is important to use condoms now with your boy friend.

This risk is dramatically reduced when the positive partner is taking ART (anti-retroviral treatment) and has an undetectable viral load.

Viral load refers to the amount of virus in your body. Having undetectable viral load means having very little virus therefore the risk of transmission.

This could be the possible reason for you to not get infected by HIV from your boy friend.

Let me know if you have more doubts.

Regards,

Dr.Sandip
Above answer was peer-reviewed by : Dr. Raju A.T
doctor
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Follow up: Dr. Sandip Kabra (1 hour later)
He is getting treatment now. Is there any possibility that he has some other immune disorder and it comes up as HIV or are these tests right. His viral load was 12000. When he found out. 4 months later he is undectable.
doctor
Answered by Dr. Sandip Kabra (5 hours later)
Brief Answer:
Not possible.

Detailed Answer:
Hello,
Thanks for the reply,

I do not think regarding this possibility that some immune disorder can come out to HIV positive.

I have not even heard of it during my entire medical carrier.

He can continue treatment and may be because of treatment his viral load is very less,so they are undetectable.

Regards,
Note: For further follow up on related General & Family Physician Click here.

Above answer was peer-reviewed by : Dr. Prasad
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Answered by
Dr.
Dr. Sandip Kabra

General & Family Physician

Practicing since :2009

Answered : 3078 Questions

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How Is HIV Contracted?

Brief Answer: Transmission of HIV infection is dependent on viral load mainly. Detailed Answer: Hello, welcome to health care magic, Firstly of all, I am sorry to hear about your boyfriend's recent diagnosis. The transmission of HIV infection is dependent on a number of factors including whether your partner is on treatment or not and what his viral load is. It is possible for you to test HIV negative whilst your husband tests HIV positive. This is not uncommon and there are many couples in your situation. Also,the risk of catching HIV relates to many things like as i said your partner’s viral load (means how infections he is) or whether he is on treatment. Mostly person becomes a source of infection through his body fluids like blood,semen,urine,sweat or even saliva when he develops heavy viral load in blood or heavy HIV RNA copies in blood,then our body starts secreting HIV virus through body fluids out of the body and thus person becomes highly infectious during that time. Also,not every exposure results in HIV being passed on. And you may also have just been lucky so far. But it doesn’t mean that you are protected as you could still be at risk of getting HIV later on.so it is important to use condoms now with your boy friend. This risk is dramatically reduced when the positive partner is taking ART (anti-retroviral treatment) and has an undetectable viral load. Viral load refers to the amount of virus in your body. Having undetectable viral load means having very little virus therefore the risk of transmission. This could be the possible reason for you to not get infected by HIV from your boy friend. Let me know if you have more doubts. Regards, Dr.Sandip