HIV = Human Immunodeficiency Virus

AIDS = Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndrome

Infection with the Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV) can result in illness that is life-threatening.

Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndrome (AIDS) is the name given to the group of illnesses which occur in people infected with HIV.

This HIV/AIDS information has been prepared for ALL gay men (HIV+ or HIV-), to provide essential information about preventing HIV infection.

If you have any concerns about HIV or AIDS, see your doctor or a counsellor.

Tests are readily available that can tell you whether or not you have the virus.

There is now a range of drug treatments known as Highly Active Anti-Retroviral Therapy or (HAART) available for people with HIV that suppress the effects of HIV on the immune system.

HAART has dramatically decreased the number of cases of people with HIV developing AIDS-related illnesses.

By knowing how HIV is passed on, you are better able to make choices about what to do, to best reduce your risk of getting or passing on the virus.

HIV is only infectious in blood, cum or pre-cum (semen), and vaginal fluids. Therefore, any activity that allows infected blood, cum or vaginal fluid to enter the bloodstream of another person will place that person at risk of getting the virus.

Tiny, painless cuts or abrasions can happen during sexual intercourse and allow infected blood, cum or vaginal fluid to come into contact with the bloodstream. These cuts are more likely to occur in the lining of the rectum and anus than the lining of the vagina. They are also likely to occur in the lining of the penis around the meatus (the hole at the tip of the penis).

HIV transmission from mother to baby, via breast-milk, is a common means of transmission. In the developed world, bottle-feeding of babies born to positive mothers is the standard recommendation.

HIV is not infectious in any other body fluid, such as saliva or mucous.

You cannot get HIV from kissing, hugging, cuddling, frottage (body rubbing), masturbation, or massaging.

Unprotected anal intercourse, ie fucking without condoms, is the most likely way of getting or passing on HIV. Small cuts or abrasions in the lining of the arse, and on the cock, often happen during sex. They provide a way where infected cum, pre-cum, or blood can come into contact with your bloodstream or your partner's bloodstream.

Many people think that HIV can't enter the bloodstream of the insertive partner, but it can. HIV in blood can enter through the opening at the tip of the cock (the meatus) or through small cuts or scratches.

If you are not a 100% certain of your HIV status, or your partner's HIV status, using condoms and water-based lubricant remains the best way to reduce the risk of getting or passing on HIV.

Tips

• Always use a condom and water-based lube.
  

• Put the condom on before starting.
  

• It’s important to use water based lubricant as some ordinary petroleum-based lubricant can cause some condoms to break.
  

• Take responsibility for using condoms whether you like fucking, being fucked, or both.
  

• A tiny amount of lube dabbed on the head of your cock, or into the tip of the condom, can increase the pleasure for the active (condom wearing) partner.
  

• Lots of water-based lube on the outside of the condom-covered cock can ensure both a sensational slide into the arse, and prevent condom breakage.

Withdrawal (Pulling Out)

If you are not using a condom during sex, you can pass on or get HIV even if you or your partner pulls out before cumming. This is because:

• If you're the one doing the fucking, blood from your partner's arse can still enter the hole at the tip of your cock, or get into tiny cuts or scratches on your cock.
  

• If you're being fucked, small amounts of pre-cum can enter your bloodstream through the cuts or abrasions in the lining of your arse.
  

• There is no guarantee that your partner won't cum inside you, even if he says he won't!

Do you think that you have been exposed to HIV?

PEP is a 4-week course of anti-HIV drugs that may prevent you becoming HIV+.

But you have to act fast as you need to take PEP within 72 hours of exposure.

For more information, please click on the link below to 'Get PEP', or call 1800 889 887 RIGHT NOW!

Remember: safe-sex and safe drug injecting practices are still the most effective ways to avoid HIV infection.

Get PEP

HIV is not infectious in saliva. It cannot be passed on from the mouth.

There are no known cases of people getting HIV through oral sex with a woman.

However, there are a small number of recorded cases of people getting HIV after taking cum in their mouths during oral sex. In almost all of these cases the person doing the sucking had herpes sores, wounds, cuts, or infections in their mouths.

If there is bleeding in the mouth, or if you or your partner have gum disease or other oral infections (such as a sore throat, cold sore, or gonorrhoea of the throat), you should take extra care.

Cuts in the mouth may develop after you eat, brush your teeth, or floss. Often you are not aware of them. You can get small cuts that last a couple of hours.

Tips

• You can reduce the chance of having cuts in your mouth by not brushing or flossing your teeth before oral sex.
  

• Rinsing or gargling with salty water can alert you to the presence of cuts in your mouth.
  

• You can also avoid cum in the mouth.
  

• If your partner does cum in your mouth, you can either spit it out or swallow.
  

• If the cum is in the front of your mouth, spit.
  

• If the cum is in the back of your mouth, swallow.
  

• To be really protected, you could suck with a (flavoured) condom on.
  

• If you are going down on a woman, you could use dental dams or sheets of clear plastic food wrap. Note that the kind of food wrap used in microwave ovens is NOT suitable for use as a dental dam, as it contains tiny holes through which the virus can pass.

You can pass on or catch HIV through vaginal intercourse, because HIV is infectious in cum, pre-cum, vaginal fluid, and blood. Small cuts or abrasions in the lining of the vagina, and on the cock, can easily occur during sex. These cuts provide a way for these body fluids to come into contact with your bloodstream or your partner's bloodstream.

Many people think that HIV can't enter the bloodstream of the insertive partner, ie the person who is fucking but it can. HIV in blood or vaginal fluids can enter through the opening at the tip of the cock (the meatus) or through small cuts or scratches.

If you are not a 100% certain of your HIV status, or your partner's HIV status, using condoms and water-based lubricant remains the best way to reduce the risk of getting or passing on HIV.

Tips

• Always use a condom and water-based lube. Put the condom on before starting.
  

• It’s important to use water based lubricant as some ordinary petroleum-based lubricant can cause some condoms to break.
  

• Take responsibility for using condoms, whether you're the insertive (person fucking) or reception (person being fucked) partner.
  

• A tiny amount of lube dabbed on the head of the cock or into the tip of the condom can increase the pleasure for the condom wearer.
  

• Lots of water-based lube on the outside of the condom-covered cock can make it more pleasurable for both partners and prevent condom breakage.

Cuddling, hugging, and body rubbing cannot pass on HIV as no blood, cum, or vaginal fluid is involved.

Kissing does not pass on HIV as HIV is not infectious in saliva.

HIV cannot be passed on by:

• Wanking yourself or someone else;
  

• Massage;
  

• Body stroking;
  

• Licking; or,
  

• Cumming on somebody (provided there are no open cuts or sores on the other person's body).

Tip

Do not use your, or your partner's, cum or pre-cum as a lubricant, because it can enter the bloodstream through the tip of your cock, or through small abrasions (cuts), which may allow HIV to pass into your body.

Rimming (licking another person's arse) does not pass on HIV unless HIV+ blood from small tears in the arse gets into a mouth which also has cuts or sores.

However, some other serious illnesses (such as hepatitis A) are easily passed on this way. Kaposi's Sarcoma (KS), a common cancer associated with HIV illness, has also been linked to rimming.

Tips

• Use a latex barrier, such as a dental dam, or sheets of clear food wrap (not the sort designed for use in microwave ovens) as protection.
  

• You can wash your arse before being rimmed, but douching is not a good idea, as it can bring more germs out into the open around your arse.
  

• If you have any kind of stomach upset, think twice about being rimmed, as you can easily pass on germs.
  

• A vaccine is readily available for hepatitis A from your doctor or sexual health centre – get it!
  

• Please see the STI's section about how to prevent passing on or getting hepatitis A.

For further information about STI's, please click on the link below.

As blood is often involved in shaving, from both visible and tiny cuts, never share a razor for face or body shaving.

HIV can be passed on if sex toys come into contact with infected blood, semen, or vaginal fluid, and are then used by another person.

These toys include dildos, anal beads, and butt plugs.

Tips

• Never share sex toys with another person;
  

• Use condoms on dildos and butt plugs; and,
  

• Always clean sex toys with warm, soapy water after use, then rinse thoroughly.

This includes watersports (pissing), scat (shit), and fisting (anal and vaginal fist-fucking).

There is no risk of HIV being passed on through pissing on unbroken skin.

However, there is a slight risk if piss gets through broken skin, through the lining of the eyes, or in the mouth, as there could be traces of blood in the piss. Other infections can also be passed on in this way and these may be more dangerous if you have HIV.

Pissing up someone's arse is not a good idea, especially as this means penetrating them without a condom.

There is no risk of HIV transmission from scat unless there is blood in the shit. As other STI's can be passed on through scat, take extra care to keep any shit away from the eyes, open sores, and the mouth.

To reduce the risk of HIV and other STI's being passed on through fisting, always use gloves and a water-based lubricant.

Please click on the link below for more information about STI's.

STI's