Individuals who believe themselves to be HIV-negative cannot rely on serosorting as an HIV prevention strategy, according to researchers from the university of California, writing in the May 31st edition of AIDS. The investigators developed a mathematical model that took into account the risk of HIV transmission posed by individuals who believe they are HIV-negative, but actually have acute HIV infection. They found that HIV-negative men were at much higher risk if they chose to have unprotected sex with men they believed to be HIV-negative, but who were actually seroconverting, than if they had unprotected sex with HIV-positive men on successful treatment.
Infectiousness is highest during the first few months of HIV infection and serosorting behaviours by individuals with acute HIV infection may, the investigators conclude, actually be contributing to the spread of HIV.
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