Resistant strain transmission whilst on ART

[London2013]

Hullo chaps and chapettes,

Firstly, just want to say though this is the first time I've posted, I've been reading the forum ever since I was diagnosed positive (March 2013) and it's been a brilliant help. I went on Atripla as soon as, and and having my one month bloods drawn this week - fingers crossed.

I wanted to ask - a thoroughly hypothetical question considering the ongoing and likely lasting dry spell I'm experiencing! - whether having unprotected liaisons with other positive people with drug resistant strains of the HI virus whilst the wild type carrying is on ART is possible/likely and if there's any research out there. I'd be grateful for any answers.

Keep the discussion going - some of it is a bit too wild for me I'm afraid, but I'll keep on reading, even if quietly from the sidelines. It's brilliant to hear others' thoughts, experiences and to learn whilst rummaging the Internet.

Thanks to you all!

[jkinatl2]

As there are maybe a dozen verified cases of reinfection in medical literature and how every case has as a common denominator a high viral load, I rather think its unlikely in the extreme and not worth a second thought.

[London2013]

Thanks for your reply jknatl2 - and can I say some of your messages on HIV awareness have been brilliant: informative and really balanced.

On the topic, I wasn't v specific on what I meant. If the person carrying a resistant strain indeed does have a high viral load, but the wild genotype carrier is on ART, I'm wondering if in this scenario a "re-infection", for the lack of a better expression, is possible/probable. I know we can't quantify the risk, but someone must have considered this before. I guess it'd be a consideration in a seroconcordant relationships, or perhaps I'm wrong?

Cheers again and keep at it!

[jkinatl2]

Thanks for the kind words!

I rather think ART would act as a viral suppressor against another strain of HIV - even if you are unlucky enough to encounter one resistant to all drugs in your regimen. Resistance does not equal total inaffectiveness. Granted, some pozzie a only bareback with other virally suppressed pozzies (which involves a leap of faith to a degree) but all the literature I've read about reinfection seems to point to viral vulnerability/uncontrolled infection on the part of both partners - in the scant cases where it's been documented.

In other words, when your dry spell ends you might have syphilis and drug- resistant gonnnorrhea / chlamydia to worry about, but not HIV reinfection.

[London2013]

Thanks for the kind words!

Just speaking the truth! Thanks again.

Could you recommend some reading, not necessarily just about this issue? Been trawling through some of the current/ongoing research, seen some excellent synopses posted by you and the others. It's great to read endless abstracts if sleep refuses to come in time - 3 papers or less and unconsciousness practically guaranteed!

In other words, when your dry spell ends you might have syphilis and drug- resistant gonnnorrhea / chlamydia to worry about, but not HIV reinfection.

Hahaha, thanks for that cheerful thought! I'll try not to return with horror stories regarding the above monsters!