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FRIDAY, May 3, 2019 (HealthDay News) — In HIV serodifferent gay couples, the within-couple rate of HIV transmission through condomless anal sex is zero when the HIV-positive partner is taking suppressive antiretroviral therapy (ART), according to a study published online May 2 in The Lancet<\/i>.<\/p>\n
Alison J. Rodger, M.D., from University College London, and colleagues conducted a prospective, observational study at 75 sites in 14 European countries. In the first phase, heterosexual and gay serodifferent couples who reported condomless sex were recruited and followed up. The HIV-positive partner was taking ART. In the second phase, only gay couples were recruited and followed up. A total of 979 gay couples were enrolled from Sept. 15, 2010, through July 31, 2017. Of those, 782 provided 1,593 eligible couple-years of follow-up.<\/p>\n
The researchers found that couples reported condomless sex for a median of 1.0 year. During eligible couple-years of follow-up, condomless anal sex was reported 76,088 times. Condomless sex with other partners was reported by 37 percent of HIV-negative men. During eligible couple-years of follow-up, 15 new HIV infections occurred; none were phylogenetically linked within-couple transmissions, indicating an HIV transmission rate of zero.<\/p>\n
“Our findings provide conclusive evidence that the risk of HIV transmission through anal sex when HIV viral load is suppressed is effectively zero,” the authors write.<\/p>\n
Several authors disclosed financial ties to pharmaceutical companies, including Gilead Sciences and ViiV Healthcare, which provided unrestricted grant funding.<\/p>\n
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