Undetectable

[Eugene50]

Can someone with an untectable VL for a year, pass hiv to a negative person?

[jkinatl2]

Can someone with an untectable VL for a year, pass hiv to a negative person?

Yes, depending.

Could you be more specific? Are we talking an poitive UD person with no other STIs, and can we be really specific about the type of activity? Not all things are equal in the land of Sodom.

[Schnauzer]

The short answer is yes, a person being treated for HIV who is undetectable can pass the virus on to an uninfected person.

The longer answer is complicated and sometimes full of controversy.  Much of medical community believes that it is very unlikely for someone whose vl is undetectable to pass on HIV.  In fact, many doctors and researchers believe that treatment (HAART) is the way to lower infection rates and, ultimately, lead to an HIV-free generation.

[Eugene50]

Sorry if I wasn't specific! Lets try this again I have been undectable for a year my question is can I still pass the virus to an hiv negative person?

[Ann]

Sorry if I wasn't specific! Lets try this again I have been undectable for a year my question is can I still pass the virus to an hiv negative person?

Provided you do not have any other active STIs, then the likelihood of transmitting your virus to another person is very low.

The main thing that would be questionable is if you're the insertive partner and you cum in someone else's ass or vagina - whether or not you have another STI (and if you DO have another active STI, you shouldn't be barebacking anyway). An undetectable plasma (blood) viral load does not always mean an UD VL in semen.

Granted, if you're UD plasma-wise with no other STIs, the VL in your genital tract might be detectable, but it likely wouldn't be very high. However, the anus and vagina are more susceptible to hiv infection as they have a lot of the correct types of cells present that hiv can latch onto and infect.


I hope you're not wanting to know this because you want to have unprotected anal or vaginal intercourse with a negative person, without disclosing your hiv status. You should always give the other person a chance to give INFORMED consent and the option to opt out of unprotected anal or vaginal sex.

Serodiscordant barebacking when UD is probably best left to a mutually monogamous relationship and not casual hook-ups or early on in a relationship. It's something that the negative partner needs to be in agreement with and comfortable doing, knowing the ins and outs of the risk situation. Again, INFORMED consent.