HIV & Social Issues
I do not use a condom with my regular partner but I believe they may be having affairs outside of our relations. What should I do? If your partner has unprotected sex (sex without a condom), and has sex with other persons beside yourself or engages in high risk behaviors outside of your relationship then he or she is placing you at risk and in such a situation you should insist on using condoms. If you do not, you will continue to be at risk.
Remember, there are both ‘male’, and ‘female’ condoms to use for your protection. You do not have to be completely dependent on your partner there. You have a choice.
I was raped; what are the chances that I have HIV and what should I do?
Post exposure prophylaxis (treatment) is recommended as soon as possible. (Preferably within the first few hours)
Any assault where the assailant's blood or semen has access to the person's bloodstream is risky as is the case in rape. If the assault is violent and the person bleeds, there may be more risk.
Anal penetration is the highest risk; vaginal penetration is also risky; semen in the mouth presents the smallest risk. Ejaculation in any of these cases increases the risk significantly. The HIV status of the rapist should be determined (if this is possible).
Treatment should be continued for 4 weeks, unless rapist is HIV negative, and use of condoms in own relationship is advised till 6 months after the rape, when the final control HIV test is done and has come back negative.
For legal purposes only, it may be a good idea for a person who has been raped to be tested immediately. It can establish that the person was not infected at the time of the assault. If he/she is HIV negative and later tests positive for HIV, there may be a basis for legal action beyond the assault charge.
I may have been exposed to HIV at work via needle prick; what should I do?
Post exposure prophylaxis (treatment) is recommended as soon as possible. (Preferably within the first few hours), even if the HIV status of the source patient is not known yet. The HIV status of the source of your exposure through the needle prick should be determined.
Treatment should be continued for 4 weeks and the extent of the treatment depends on a protocol that indicates the risk of HIV transmission. If the source patient is HIV negative the treatment can be stopped.
Use of condoms is recommended in own relationship until 6 months after the incident, when the final control test for HIV has come back negative.
For legal purposes only, it would be useful to have an HIV test done immediately after the needle prick. If it is established that the person suffering the needle prick was HIV negative at the time, then this information may be useful if there is a question of negligence.
