5 Questions that often arise if the partner is positive hiv

HIV (Human Immunodeficiency Virus) is a virus that attacks the immune system and makes sufferers weaker and sicker. Until now, there is no cure for HIV disease. So when you get HIV, you will have it for life. Therefore, it is not surprising that many people are afraid to experience HIV. Especially if you hear about an HIV positive partner. Surely your mind will be filled with many questions that you may not even know the answers to.

1. Will I also have HIV?

Yes or no. This depends on what activities you have done with your partner.

HIV is a virus that is transmitted through bodily fluids. If you have had contact with a partner's body fluids such as semen, vaginal fluids, blood, then you are at high risk of becoming infected with HIV. We recommend that you do further tests to confirm your health condition.

2. Where can you get it?

HIV can spread through body fluids that a person with HIV has. It is from these bodily fluids that you must be more careful. The body fluids of a person with HIV can come from blood, semen, vaginal fluids, and breast milk.

HIV transmission is only possible if these fluids come into contact with mucous membranes or damaged body tissue. When in direct contact, these fluids mix in the bloodstream and the virus can spread throughout the body. So the way to prevent HIV positive partners is to prevent contact of all these fluids.

If activities such as hugging, holding hands, petting (especially those that are done still wearing clothes), swimming together, using the same towel or bath, the risk of transmission is very small and even almost non-existent.

3. Do I also need an HIV test?

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) recommends that everyone, ages 13-64, get tested for HIV at least once. Moreover, people who are at high risk of contracting HIV, such as having sex with multiple partners or using multiple injections.

HIV testing is one of the important things to track whether you have HIV or not. If your partner has HIV you should confirm the condition with an HIV test. That way, you will know what steps to take to overcome it.

If you are not HIV positive, take good precautions when dealing with your partner. If the results show you are HIV positive, get treatment as early as possible before it gets worse.

The CDC also recommends that people who have an HIV positive partner should test more frequently every 3-6 months.

4. Can I still have sex with an HIV positive partner?

Having sex with a partner who is HIV positive does have a very high risk of contracting it. May or not is the choice of each partner.

If you want to have vaginal sex (penis-vaginal contact), it must be done carefully and use a barrier such as a condom. Likewise with anal sex, you must use a condom. Because both of these sexual activities will involve a lot of body fluids which incidentally is the place for the spread of the HIV virus.

Other types of sex, such as oral sex, can also be transmitted, although the risk is smaller than anal and vaginal sex. When semen is ingested, it also remains a risk of experiencing HIV transmission from an HIV positive partner.

5. If I have kissed my partner, am I infected?

Loving each other by kissing each other basically has a very small risk of contracting it. Doing a french kiss that involves the tongues sticking together, involving saliva contact does not transmit HIV. This is because saliva contains several natural antibodies and enzymes that can prevent HIV from infecting healthy cells.

However, you have to be careful, the risk of contracting HIV will increase if you have canker sores or open sores on your mouth, lips, gums, or tongue. The wound can be a doorway for the HIV virus from your partner to enter your body. So, having kissed before also has the possibility of contracting HIV even though there are conditions (there is a wound).

You should make sure by doing an HIV test because usually partners do not realize if they have a small wound in their oral cavity.