Your HIV viral load can make a difference

Your HIV viral load can make a difference

You can still pass on HIV during sex even if your viral load is “undetectable.”

If you are taking HIV medications and you have an “undetectable” viral load this means that your medications are doing a good job controlling the HIV in your body. But you can still pass on HIV during sex even if your viral load is “undetectable.”

Most HIV experts and community groups believe HIV positive people who have undetectable viral loads should continue to use condoms when they fuck. Here are some medical and legal reasons why:

• Studies have not looked at how a man’s viral load affects the risk of passing on HIV to another man during sex.
• Even if HIV is undetectable in your blood, high levels of HIV may still be present in your cum, pre-cum and ass fluids.
• Your viral load might have gone up since the last time you had a viral load test.
• Even if your viral load is undetectable, you still have a legal duty under the criminal law to disclose your HIV status before you expose someone to a significant risk of HIV transmission.

Other STIs can increase the risk of passing on HIV

If you have an untreated STI you are more likely to pass HIV on to another guy during unprotected sex. And if an HIV negative guy has an untreated STI, it is easier for him to get HIV during sex.

Cut or uncut

Not many studies have looked at whether circumcision (having a cut cock) can protect gay men from getting HIV or reduce their risk of passing on HIV. The results from these studies don’t provide any clear answer.