Question:

Hi. I have been with my partner for seven years. In the beginning of our relationship we used protection and then over time we stopped using condoms. He was diagnosed with having HIV last year. I was tested at this point and it came back negative. I also give blood about twice a year and had a full physical with blood tests for life insurance about 6 months prior to finding out his status. My first question is should I be tested again? It has been about a year and there has been no sexual contact without a condom. How effective is just using condoms? If we choose to have intercourse, what else should we be using? Also, is there a risk in open mouth kissing?

What is the average time from when HIV infects the person to when the person should begin treatment? Then the average time from HIV to AIDS?

Thank you for taking the time to address my questions.

Answer provided by:

Daniel Lee, M. D.
Assistant Clinical Professor of Medicine
UCSD Medical Center
Owen Clinic

In regards to your questions, you should get tested again every 6 months. That is the recommendation theoretically for anyone who is sexually active (gay or straight), but especially if your partner is HIV positive, even though there has not been any "sexual contact without a condom". Even with consistent condom use (~100%), there are few reports of HIV and STD transmission, which may be related to incorrect usage/breakage/defective condoms, etc. Thus, we routinely recommend getting retested every 6 months or so. In addition, how do you define "sexual contact"? Does that also include using condoms when having oral sex? There are also risks associated with unprotected oral sex without condoms (which honestly, most (95%) people who do have oral sex do not use condoms). Thus, we also recommend using condoms with oral sex. In regards to open mouth kissing, the risk is very low as long as there are no open cuts or sores in the mouth. In regards to your last 2 questions regarding the average times for someone to begin HIV treatment and to progress to AIDS, it is very individual. Some people may need to start treatment within a year of being infected whereas others may not need treatment for many years. It really depends on their own immune system and their CD4 count and viral load. The average time quoted for people to progress to AIDS is usually around 10 years, but that is the average. Many people may progress within a few years and others may never progress to AIDS.

Thanks for your questions.

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