Sullivan on the Barebacking Story

[Christopher Rhoades Dÿkema]

This is really a medical question. Maybe some of the physicians among us can
clarify.

Justin Schwartz wrote:

> Why is it unsafe for him to have unprotected sex with the HIV positive?

To the extent I understand this -- from hanging around a lot of doctors -- there
are two issues of infection. One proposition I have heard is that even if a
person is HIV+ there are various strains of the virus and that exposure to
multiple strains might further damage the immune system.

The other is that one may be harboring opportunistic infections that are still
latent, and might transmit them through unprotected sex.

Can someone clarify these issues, or others that may be medically relevant?

Christopher Rhoades Dÿkema