Hi

Yes it is possible that if the person has HIV that it could be passed to you, but this would not be a common way to pass HIV to another person. The HIV in the semen could get into your body through microscopic tears in your skin or through the urethra (pee tube).

Its difficult to know the exact risk as there are a few different factors. For example if the person is on HIV medication the body’s viral load is generally low so the chance of transmission is greatly reduced. On the other hand if the person has only just got HIV there would be an increased chance as the HIV viral load is very high in the first few months.

Most people do not get symptoms when they first get HIV. Generally the only way to find out is to go for a HIV test. The person who does the test for you could give you more detailed information on your personal situation. Here is a link to our clinic finder page.    

To reduce the risk in this situation someone could use lube. Also saliva would be a safer lube than semen.

Please leave a comment to let us know if this answers your question or if you need more information.

Health Nurse

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