| Additional Information | HIV infection can be spread through sexual activity, including oral and anal sex. Despite regular sexual contact transmission of infection may not happen. It may however not be transmitted for a long time into a relationship. This could be because the infection becomes more active in the infected partner, the uninfected partner acquires another infection or injury to a mucous membrane, or there is a change in the use of, or failure of, barrier contraceptives (condoms etc.). In the early stages of infection the testing used by the Blood Services may not detect the virus allowing it to be passed on by transfusion or transplantation.
Waiting 3 months from the last sexual contact will ensure that any infection is picked up by the tests used by the Blood Services. This guidance presumes that a validated NAT test for HIV is negative, if this test is stopped for any reason the guidance will change. |