HIV risk with certain sexual behaviors
David J Malebranche, MD, MPH posted:
Hello,
Many of you ask about what are the chances of getting HIV after engaging in certain behaviors. This is hard to do, and its difficult to give you an accurate sense of what your actual risk is, because HIV transmission, because it depends on so many things, including:
1. If your sexual partner, is, in fact, HIV positive
2. If this partner is on HIV meds and viral load is low or "undetectable," the risk is less
3. If either of you has an STD like herpes or syphilis, which can increase risk
4. The exact behavior you did
Not all behaviors are created equal when it comes to putting you at risk for HIV; Here are the most risky to the lowest risk behaviors for HIV transmission, in descending order when one is not using a condom:
1. anal sex when you are receiving - by far the riskiest - and doesn't matter whether you are a man or woman - we all have anuses!!!!
2. vaginal sex - for the woman
3. anal sex when you are giving (being the "top")
4. vaginal sex - for the man
5. oral sex - for the one giving
6. oral sex - for the one receiving
So, in short, if you are not using a condom with someone who is HIV positive and you are HIV negative, #1 is the most risky thing you can do, and # 6 is the least risky. Like I said, the other factors I listed above can play a part in risk as well, and while its not likely that you will get HIV from ONE sexual encounter with a person who is positive or you don't know their status, it has happened - so be careful and take care of yourselves!!!
Remember, when you know the risk with certain behaviors, you can make the decsion for yourself what you are comfortable with doing... especially when you don't know your partner's HIV status.
David
Many of you ask about what are the chances of getting HIV after engaging in certain behaviors. This is hard to do, and its difficult to give you an accurate sense of what your actual risk is, because HIV transmission, because it depends on so many things, including:
1. If your sexual partner, is, in fact, HIV positive
2. If this partner is on HIV meds and viral load is low or "undetectable," the risk is less
3. If either of you has an STD like herpes or syphilis, which can increase risk
4. The exact behavior you did
Not all behaviors are created equal when it comes to putting you at risk for HIV; Here are the most risky to the lowest risk behaviors for HIV transmission, in descending order when one is not using a condom:
1. anal sex when you are receiving - by far the riskiest - and doesn't matter whether you are a man or woman - we all have anuses!!!!
2. vaginal sex - for the woman
3. anal sex when you are giving (being the "top")
4. vaginal sex - for the man
5. oral sex - for the one giving
6. oral sex - for the one receiving
So, in short, if you are not using a condom with someone who is HIV positive and you are HIV negative, #1 is the most risky thing you can do, and # 6 is the least risky. Like I said, the other factors I listed above can play a part in risk as well, and while its not likely that you will get HIV from ONE sexual encounter with a person who is positive or you don't know their status, it has happened - so be careful and take care of yourselves!!!
Remember, when you know the risk with certain behaviors, you can make the decsion for yourself what you are comfortable with doing... especially when you don't know your partner's HIV status.
David
28 Replies |Watch This Discussion | Report This| Share this:HIV risk with certain sexual behaviorsHello, <br /> <br />Many of you ask about what are the chances of getting HIV after engaging in certain behaviors. This is hard to do, and its difficult to give you an accurate sense of what your actual risk is, because HIV transmission, because it depends on so many things, including:<br /> <br />1. If your sexual partner, is, in fact, HIV positive<br />2. If this partner is on HIV meds and viral load is low or "undetectable," the risk is less<br />3. If either of you has an STD like herpes or syphilis, which can increase risk<br />4. The exact behavior you did<br /> <br />Not all behaviors are created equal when it comes to putting you at risk for HIV; Here are the most risky to the lowest risk behaviors for HIV transmission, in descending order when one is not using a condom:<br /> <br />1. anal sex when you are receiving - by far the riskiest - and doesn't matter whether you are a man or woman - we all have anuses!!!!<br />2. vaginal sex - for the woman<br />3. anal sex when you are giving (being the "top")<br />4. vaginal sex - for the man<br />5. oral sex - for the one giving <br />6. oral sex - for the one receiving<br /> <br />So, in short, if you are not using a condom with someone who is HIV positive and you are HIV negative, #1 is the most risky thing you can do, and # 6 is the least risky. Like I said, the other factors I listed above can play a part in risk as well, and while its not likely that you will get HIV from ONE sexual encounter with a person who is positive or you don't know their status, it has happened - so be careful and take care of yourselves!!! <br /> <br />Remember, when you know the risk with certain behaviors, you can make the decsion for yourself what you are comfortable with doing... especially when you don't know your partner's HIV status. <br /> <br />David
Andie_WebMD_Staff responded:
This is a great thread that answers many of the questions that our new Community Members and Guests often ask.
You might want to start here to see if some of your questions are answered before posting. If you still have questions that are along these lines, please post your question here.
Or, if you have specific questions that are off topic, please post it as it's own new Discussion to have a better chance of being seen and replied to.
Thanks, Dr. David, for such being such a great resource! We are very fortunate to have you on board with us. Don't you just love him? :)
You might want to start here to see if some of your questions are answered before posting. If you still have questions that are along these lines, please post your question here.
Or, if you have specific questions that are off topic, please post it as it's own new Discussion to have a better chance of being seen and replied to.
Thanks, Dr. David, for such being such a great resource! We are very fortunate to have you on board with us. Don't you just love him? :)
Report This| Share this:HIV risk with certain sexual behaviorsThis is a great thread that answers many of the questions that our new Community Members and Guests often ask. <br /><br />You might want to start here to see if some of your questions are answered before posting. If you still have questions that are along these lines, please post your question here.<br /><br />Or, if you have specific questions that are off topic, please post it as it's own new Discussion to have a better chance of being seen and replied to.<br /><br />Thanks, Dr. David, for such being such a great resource! We are very fortunate to have you on board with us. Don't you just love him? :)
sep83 responded:
May i know the average probability of each of the group you mentioned above
Report This| Share this:HIV risk with certain sexual behaviorsMay i know the average probability of each of the group you mentioned above
georgiagail replied to sep83's response:
The stats we most often use here:
Estimated per-act risk with an infected source and assuming no condom use:
1. receptive anal intercourse - 50 per 10,000 exposures
2. receptive penile- vaginal intercourse - 10 per 10,000 exposures
3. insertive anal intercourse - 6.5 per 10,000 exposures
4. insertive penile-vaginal intercourse - 5 per 10,000 exposures
5. receptive oral intercourse - 1 per 10,000 exposures
6. insertive oral intercourse - .5 per 10,000 exposures.
Gail
Estimated per-act risk with an infected source and assuming no condom use:
1. receptive anal intercourse - 50 per 10,000 exposures
2. receptive penile- vaginal intercourse - 10 per 10,000 exposures
3. insertive anal intercourse - 6.5 per 10,000 exposures
4. insertive penile-vaginal intercourse - 5 per 10,000 exposures
5. receptive oral intercourse - 1 per 10,000 exposures
6. insertive oral intercourse - .5 per 10,000 exposures.
Gail
Report This| Share this:HIV risk with certain sexual behaviorsThe stats we most often use here:<br /> <br />Estimated per-act risk with an infected source and assuming no condom use:<br /> <br />1. receptive anal intercourse - 50 per 10,000 exposures<br />2. receptive penile- vaginal intercourse - 10 per 10,000 exposures<br />3. insertive anal intercourse - 6.5 per 10,000 exposures<br />4. insertive penile-vaginal intercourse - 5 per 10,000 exposures<br />5. receptive oral intercourse - 1 per 10,000 exposures<br />6. insertive oral intercourse - .5 per 10,000 exposures.<br /><br />Gail
sep83 replied to georgiagail's response:
Does this probability is a function of viral load or Log of viral load?
Report This| Share this:HIV risk with certain sexual behaviorsDoes this probability is a function of viral load or Log of viral load?
These probabilities are averages, so they assume an average viral load. The higher the actual viral load, the higher the probability of infection; the lower the actual viral load, the lower the probability of infection.
Anyone who is HIV can transmit the virus to another person through the activities described above, but a person who is newly infected (whose viral load is extremely high prior to the equilibrium established by antibody production) is more likely to transmit the virus than a person whose viral load is undetectable due to a healthy lifestyle and medication regimen.
Dan
Anyone who is HIV can transmit the virus to another person through the activities described above, but a person who is newly infected (whose viral load is extremely high prior to the equilibrium established by antibody production) is more likely to transmit the virus than a person whose viral load is undetectable due to a healthy lifestyle and medication regimen.
Dan
Report This| Share this:HIV risk with certain sexual behaviorsThese probabilities are averages, so they assume an average viral load. The higher the actual viral load, the higher the probability of infection; the lower the actual viral load, the lower the probability of infection. <br /> <br />Anyone who is HIV can transmit the virus to another person through the activities described above, but a person who is newly infected (whose viral load is extremely high prior to the equilibrium established by antibody production) is more likely to transmit the virus than a person whose viral load is undetectable due to a healthy lifestyle and medication regimen.<br /> <br />Dan
Does that 10,000 times mean if you had sex with 10,000 people who had HIV that you would be 50 times likely to get it out of 10,000 people who actually have it?
Report This| Share this:HIV risk with certain sexual behaviorsDoes that 10,000 times mean if you had sex with 10,000 people who had HIV that you would be 50 times likely to get it out of 10,000 people who actually have it?
not 50 times likely but that there are so many chances of you getting HIV if you have sex with 10,000 people who have HIV? like 50 of those chances you could get HIV.
Report This| Share this:HIV risk with certain sexual behaviorsnot 50 times likely but that there are so many chances of you getting HIV if you have sex with 10,000 people who have HIV? like 50 of those chances you could get HIV.
scott521 responded:
Does protected oral sex warrent testing if condom did not break and no seman was noticed in the mouth.
Report This| Share this:HIV risk with certain sexual behaviorsDoes protected oral sex warrent testing if condom did not break and no seman was noticed in the mouth.
No. Protected sexual encounters are by definition protected and therefore there is no risk.
Dan
Dan
Report This| Share this:HIV risk with certain sexual behaviorsNo. Protected sexual encounters are by definition protected and therefore there is no risk.<br /> <br />Dan
Think of it this way:
There is a big bin with 10,000 balls. 50 of them are black and 9,950 are white. Receiving uprotected anal intercourse from HIV tops is like drawing a ball blind from the bin. There is an average of 50/10,000 chance of picking a black ball, which means you get infected. You can pick a black ball on the first try, or after 10 tries, or after 100. That is the average risk.
Dan
There is a big bin with 10,000 balls. 50 of them are black and 9,950 are white. Receiving uprotected anal intercourse from HIV tops is like drawing a ball blind from the bin. There is an average of 50/10,000 chance of picking a black ball, which means you get infected. You can pick a black ball on the first try, or after 10 tries, or after 100. That is the average risk.
Dan
Report This| Share this:HIV risk with certain sexual behaviorsThink of it this way:<br /> <br />There is a big bin with 10,000 balls. 50 of them are black and 9,950 are white. Receiving uprotected anal intercourse from HIV tops is like drawing a ball blind from the bin. There is an average of 50/10,000 chance of picking a black ball, which means you get infected. You can pick a black ball on the first try, or after 10 tries, or after 100. That is the average risk.<br /> <br />Dan
johnpaul55 replied to Nieciedo's response:
Has protected oral and vaginal sex ever resulted in hiv infection?
Report This| Share this:HIV risk with certain sexual behaviorsHas protected oral and vaginal sex ever resulted in hiv infection?
mmkjhyt responded:
what if a guy had some cum or precm on his finger, then fingered a girl? or what if he kissed her nipples. theoretically.?
Report This| Share this:HIV risk with certain sexual behaviorswhat if a guy had some cum or precm on his finger, then fingered a girl? or what if he kissed her nipples. theoretically.?
brilliantb responded:
Hello, I would be very grateful if someone please could answer this question!
Should a person get tested for HIV if they didnt knew if the other person was hiv positive or not and their penis touched their vagina and anus several times quite strongly but did not went inside nor into vagina nor in anus, they didnt had saliva sharing. Thank you!!!
Should a person get tested for HIV if they didnt knew if the other person was hiv positive or not and their penis touched their vagina and anus several times quite strongly but did not went inside nor into vagina nor in anus, they didnt had saliva sharing. Thank you!!!
Report This| Share this:HIV risk with certain sexual behaviorsHello, I would be very grateful if someone please could answer this question!<br /> Should a person get tested for HIV if they didnt knew if the other person was hiv positive or not and their penis touched their vagina and anus several times quite strongly but did not went inside nor into vagina nor in anus, they didnt had saliva sharing. Thank you!!!
Living_healthy_knowledge_power responded:
Hello doctor, thanku for the info you hav provided on transmission of H.I.V. I am a woman who met anothr beautiful woman who told me she was H.I.V positive and positive for Hepatitus B, she told me this the second day we spoke over the phone. I love her honesty, yet i am not H.I.V positive. I sometimes consider having a relationship with her, we hav not ben intimate in any kind of way AT ALL!..However, What do i need to know as well as do? shouldn't she and i consult both our doctors together. Please give me as much info as possibl on this matter. Is abstanance truly the best answer? i see so much on the t.v (ex.) Magic Johnson and his wife though he is h.i.v positve his wife isn't, if this worked for them can it work for two woman wanting to persue a relationship?
Report This| Share this:HIV risk with certain sexual behaviorsHello doctor, thanku for the info you hav provided on transmission of H.I.V. I am a woman who met anothr beautiful woman who told me she was H.I.V positive and positive for Hepatitus B, she told me this the second day we spoke over the phone. I love her honesty, yet i am not H.I.V positive. I sometimes consider having a relationship with her, we hav not ben intimate in any kind of way AT ALL!..However, What do i need to know as well as do? shouldn't she and i consult both our doctors together. Please give me as much info as possibl on this matter. Is abstanance truly the best answer? i see so much on the t.v (ex.) Magic Johnson and his wife though he is h.i.v positve his wife isn't, if this worked for them can it work for two woman wanting to persue a relationship?
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