Antiretroviral Therapy Prevents Sexual Transmission of HIV

Observational and randomized studies have shown that that a person with HIV who takes antiretroviral therapy (ART) and maintains an undetectable viral load will not transmit the virus to an HIV-negative partner. However, most evidence that suppression of plasma viremia by ART prevents sexual transmission of HIV comes from studies of heterosexual couples (e.g., HPTN052; NEJM JW Infect Dis Sep 2011 and N Engl J Med 2011; 365:493; PARTNER study; NEJM JW Infect Dis Aug 2016 and JAMA 2016 Jul 12; 316:171).

Now, investigators have conducted an international, observational, cohort study (Opposites Attract) to determine whether undetectable virus equals untransmittable virus (U=U) among men who have sex with men (MSM). The study enrolled 343 sexuall…