Preventing HIV, AIDS and STIs =
Sex and U
Concerns for Persons living with HIV and AIDS (PLWHAs) - What should I do to prevent reinfection?
Simply put, to prevent reinfection, safer sex should be the rule with each and every sexual encounter. Be honest with your partner. Insist on condoms each time and explain why. While some feel condoms "kill the mood" or "don't feel as good" as sex without condoms, it is possible to have a very fulfilling sex life that includes condoms.
Why Safer Sex is Important for PLWHAs.
The question is a common one heard in HIV practices and prevention clinics across the country, "My partner and I are both HIV positive. Do we still need to use condoms?"
The answer is a resounding "yes". For years HIV reinfection or super infection as it is sometimes called, has been theorized as a consequence of unprotected sexual encounters between two HIV infected people. Simply put, reinfection occurs when a person living with HIV gets infected a second time while having unprotected sex with another HIV infected person. It's been proven to be possible in laboratory studies as well as in animal trials. And for years, proof that it could happen in real-life situations has been hard to come by.
But now, compelling evidence has surfaced in human case studies that have confirmed our fears that HIV reinfection can occur and can be very problematic for HIV infected people.
How does that affect me?
As you may already know there are several strains of HIV. In addition, when exposed to medications, HIV changes or mutates over time. If a person is reinfected with a strain of HIV that is different from the strains already present or if a mutated HIV type is introduced into the body through unsafe sex, treatment will be much more complex and potentially ineffective.
For example, I am being treated for HIV and my medications are working well...my viral load is undetectable. Then I have unprotected sex with another person living with HIV and get reinfected with their strain...one that is resistant to most medications. Over time, that new strain will flourish in my body, rendering my once successful treatment useless. Eventually my viral load skyrockets and my immune system pays the price.
Some people who are HIV-infected don't see the need to follow safer sex guidelines when they are sexual with other infected people. However, it still makes sense to "play safe." If you don't, you could be exposed to other sexually transmitted infections such as herpes, human papillomavirus (HPV), or syphilis. If you already have HIV, these diseases can be more serious.
Also, you might get "re-infected" with a different strain of HIV. This new version of HIV might not be controlled by the medications you are taking. It might also be resistant to other antiretroviral drugs. There is no way of knowing how risky it is for two HIV-positive people to have unsafe sex.
Risks of passing HIV to my HIV-negative partner.
A concern of many people living with HIV is passing HIV to their uninfected partner(s). While much evidence suggests that men transmit HIV more easily than women, women can still pass HIV to uninfected partners - both male and female. This is because HIV is present in blood (including menstrual blood), vaginal secretions and in cells in the vaginal and anal walls. In fact, high levels of HIV can be found in these areas even if there is a lower amount of HIV in your blood.
Finally, a number of known cases have shown multi-drug resistant HIV being passed from people living with HIV to their partners. What this means is that, the newly infected partners have a form of the virus difficult to treat with anti-HIV drugs, leaving them with limited options to treat their infections.
Most safe sex guidelines for PLWHAs recommend that:
- You should get a Hepatitis A & B vaccination.
- If you are sexually active, you should get STI testing at least every 6 months.
- Always use condoms and dental dams with water based lubricants for penetrative and oral sex.
- Avoid using any products with a spermicide, nonoxynol-9.
- Use latex gloves when fondling the vagina or anus, or being vaginally or anally fondled.
- If your share sex toys, put on a fresh condom for each user and/or when going to or from the anus and vagina. Clean toys with bleach, alcohol or soap between uses.
- Pay strict attention to your oral hygiene and overall condition of your mouth and throat. Avoid flossing or brushing your teeth several hours before and right after a sexual encounter.
- Use alcohol-free mouthwashes or breath mints as an alternative to flossing and brushing.
