Aa
viral load question
First off, this is a great forum to educate oneself, risk or no risk. Secondly, I had I question that I asked earlier, but did not get a response to, probably because I worded it incorrectly.
I have read that one's viral load is high when they are first infected with HIV. Does this high load happen immediately, or does it take days or weeks?
I have also read numerous times here that oral is low/minimal risk-but wouldn't there be a greater risk to the receptive oral partner if the other person were at this early high viral load stage?
I have read that one's viral load is high when they are first infected with HIV. Does this high load happen immediately, or does it take days or weeks?
I have also read numerous times here that oral is low/minimal risk-but wouldn't there be a greater risk to the receptive oral partner if the other person were at this early high viral load stage?
Thank you for the more concise reply. Obviously, boy1980 did not not give me the info I was looking for.
Ignore boy1980, he gets banned twice a day here.
As far as your question, yes, recently infected people have the highest viral loads, which subsequently go down to what is called a "viral setpoint". This peak load does not happen right after the infection, not even days after infection. 2-3 weeks at the earliest and this may vary with different people (as can anything when it comes to HIV). It is also true that people are by far most infectious during this period. In fact this may be the reason that oral transmission has never been shown in known serodiscordant couples - all of these people had passed the "acute" infection phase already.
As far as your question, yes, recently infected people have the highest viral loads, which subsequently go down to what is called a "viral setpoint". This peak load does not happen right after the infection, not even days after infection. 2-3 weeks at the earliest and this may vary with different people (as can anything when it comes to HIV). It is also true that people are by far most infectious during this period. In fact this may be the reason that oral transmission has never been shown in known serodiscordant couples - all of these people had passed the "acute" infection phase already.
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