The theory that the risk of passing on an HIV infection is quite high if one's own infection was not too long ago has already been proven by many studies. A new study has now clearly emphasised and substantiated this connection once again.
On Monday, the online portal aidsmap presented the results of an American study that has just been published in the scientific journal "AIDS". A total of 24 gay men who had recently been infected with HIV were identified and interviewed. They were able to name the people from whom they suspected the infection originated. They were also contacted and persuaded to take part in the study.
The viral load of all persons was determined and also genetically tested to determine whether the HI virus could actually have come from the named contact person. Around two thirds of the carriers were identified: They had also only recently caught the infection.
The number of viruses in the blood, also known as the viral load, is particularly high at the beginning of the infection process, before the immune system is able to keep HIV in check again, at least for a while. This, and the fact that there are still a number of people who are unaware of their infection, means that the risk is particularly high during this phase of unprotected sex.
