A modeling study suggests that HIV incidence may rise if infected patients on suppressive ART stop using condoms; however, this issue remains controversial.
HIV-infected persons with high viral loads (VLs) are more likely than those with low VLs to transmit the virus to their sexual partners. Although suppressive antiretroviral therapy (ART) reduces the likelihood of HIV transmission, we do not yet know whether the risk declines to zero. Earlier this year, the Swiss National AIDS Commission issued a controversial statement, suggesting that the risk for sexual HIV transmission in serodiscordant couples is negligible — and that condoms are no longer needed — if the infected person is on stable suppressive ART and does not have other sexually transmitted diseases (STDs). Now, investigators examine how HIV incidence would change if such individuals stopped using condoms.
The probability of contracti…
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DisclosuresGrant/Research SupportNIH
Editorial BoardsUpToDate; ID Images (idimages.org); Infectious Diseases Society of America COVID-19 Treatment Guidelines; International Antiviral Society–USA (Guidelines Committee)
Leadership Positions in Professional SocietiesHIV Medicine Association; Infectious Diseases Society of America (Board of Directors)
DisclosuresGrant/Research SupportNIH
Editorial BoardsUpToDate; ID Images (idimages.org); Infectious Diseases Society of America COVID-19 Treatment Guidelines; International Antiviral Society–USA (Guidelines Committee)
Leadership Positions in Professional SocietiesHIV Medicine Association; Infectious Diseases Society of America (Board of Directors)