If you’ve been following or even skimming the news, no doubt you’ve heard about the current Zika outbreak, which has been drawing comparisons to the HIV pandemic (as well as the recent Ebola epidemic). So, what is Zika, and how does it compare with HIV?
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We have known for a long time that HIV can be transmitted sexually. However, if the HIV-positive partner is on treatment and has an undetectable viral load, the risk of transmission is almost reduced to zero. This strategy is known as “treatment as prevention.” In fact, two large studies found zero HIV transmissions when the positive partner had an undetectable viral load. In addition to treatment as prevention, we also can offer HIV-negative individuals pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP), a daily pill that, when taken, can also greatly reduce transmission risk.
Saliva and urine: Brazilian researchers say they have found active levels of Zika virus in saliva and urine. However, this does not mean transmission is possible through saliva and urine. More research will be needed to shed light on that.
HIV cannot be transmitted through saliva and urine, despite this also being a common myth and frequently asked question.