Important note: Information in this article was accurate in 2005. The state of the art may have changed since the publication date.Can you provide me with info on the likelihood that a [HIV] positive man who is resistant to one or more drugs can pass on a resistant virus to another positive man through unprotected anal intercourse? Can you refer me to any current research in this area?
Trevor Hawkins, M. D.
Associate Clinical Professor, Dept. Family Practice, University New Mexico
Medical Director, Southwest CARE Center, Santa Fe, NM
I cannot put a figure to it in terms of % chance per encounter, but I can say that anywhere from 5 to 15% of all new cases of HIV involve a virus with at least some drug resistance. The numbers seem higher in areas where there is good access to antretroviral drugs and in the gay community. There have been a number of cases of documented transmission of multi-drug resistant virus, including the case in NYC recently.
There have also been some instances reported where someone already infected was re-infected with a new and drug resistant virus.
Bottom line- 'unsafe sex' has never been so unsafe.
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