Another odd question.

[Giblarry]

Probably this was covered before I came on the forums, but the 'odd question' thread caused me to think of another point in this. 

There is a belief out there that if your vl is undetectable you are then untransmissable.  You're not likely to infect if protection isn't used. 

Is this an urban myth, or is there some truth to it? 

Gib

[mpositive]

I think people say that because they wish it were true.  It seems highly unlikely that it is the case though.  Don't forget undetectable does not mean "0" Viral Load.  Therefore, you most likely can infect someone, though I would imagine that chances are less than someone with a higher viral load.  I am sure there is more to it than that, but nonetheless, along those lines.

Than again.....I got my medical degree from knee scrape alley so.........   
M

[AboutToStart]

I think it was a Swiss study that suggested supressed HIV virus pose no threat of transmission/infecting but a lot of criticism has been made to that study. I believe the common concept is that though you are WAY less "dangerous" than a non-supressed/detectable virus, a danger still exists..

[Inchlingblue]

The chance of transmission is much lower is a person is undetectable but there is still a possibility. Also, HIV has been measured in semen of men who are undetectable in the blood, although the article also says: the threshold level of seminal viral RNA that corresponds to a significant transmission risk is not known.

As a general rule, a person who is poz is much more infectious during that period soon after infection when viral load usually spikes pretty high and then again, usually years later, when it starts to spike again if left untreated. The higher the viral load the easier it is to pass it on.

Below is an excellent overview of the latest research on this topic.

Conclusion:

While acknowledging the remaining uncertainties, both presenters concluded that an undetectable plasma viral load due to successful ART does not reliably eradicate HIV in semen, and does not eliminate the risk of HIV transmission during unprotected intercourse.

LINK:

HIV sporadically detectable in semen of men with undetectable plasma viral loads

http://www.aidsmap.com/en/news/C6491E0E-B323-480A-975B-7DFC4966539F.asp

[AboutToStart]

Conclusion:

While acknowledging the remaining uncertainties, both presenters concluded that an undetectable plasma viral load due to successful ART does not reliably eradicate HIV in semen, and does not eliminate the risk of HIV transmission during unprotected intercourse.

Follow up question:
Their conclusion was that HIV may still exist in semen and hence still the risk of transmission.. Can you derive that a bttm, who does not transmit semen, is not at risk of HIV transmission to partner??

[GNYC09]

Great info, Inchilingblue.

As for the bottom transmitting the virus, according to this article in The Body, "the estimated per-act risk for HIV transmission as a consequence of insertive anal intercourse (topping, pitching, Batman barebacking) is 6.5 per 10,000 exposures to an HIV-positive source (bottom, catcher)."   The article doesn't specify whether the receiver is "undetectable" or not but keep in mind that that HIV can still be spread through microscopic tears in the skin of a penis (I think especially if the top is uncircumcised).

[Inchlingblue]

Great info, Inchilingblue.

As for the bottom transmitting the virus, according to this article in The Body, "the estimated per-act risk for HIV transmission as a consequence of insertive anal intercourse (topping, pitching, Batman barebacking) is 6.5 per 10,000 exposures to an HIV-positive source (bottom, catcher)."   The article doesn't specify whether the receiver is "undetectable" or not but keep in mind that that HIV can still be spread through microscopic tears in the skin of a penis (I think especially if the top is uncircumcised).

That's good info, I had not seen that, and I scour those Q&As on thebody, lol......I know a guy who is 100% top and used to bareback once in a while, mainly he used condoms but sometimes, not very often, he didn't and he became poz.....this is a guy who very rarely even sucked dick.....since the chances of someone such as him getting HIV are actually slim, and he still got it, my theory is that there was another STD involved, such as herpes, added to the fact that at least one of the bottoms that he barebacked probably had a high viral load

There was a recent study that showed that even after a herpes sore has healed, the skin in that area is very susceptible to attracting HIV

LINK:

Even healed genital herpes increases HIV risk

http://www.emaxhealth.com/1020/53/32605/even-healed-genital-herpes-increases-hiv-risk.html