Comments on: Does oral sex protect against HIV? Suck it and see

By: The Sex Round Up « Neuroanthropology

The Sex Round Up « Neuroanthropology — Sat, 21 Feb 2009 14:25:33 +0000

[...] Pisani, Does Oral Sex Protect against HIV? Suck It and See A nice summary, with an important caveat, on a very cool study on antibodies, immune systems, and [...]

By: Paddy

Paddy — Wed, 18 Feb 2009 10:56:15 +0000

Possibly one factor is that people in a relationship tend to have sex less often and/or less energetically after a while. A more HIV-relevant reason is that the positive partner may be more likely to be newly infected at the start of the relationship since they’d have been more likely to have been sleeping with other people then, and thus could have a higher viral load. Finally, the couples whom for whatever reason are at higher risk for transmission may well have transmission in the first six months; the couples who stayed discordant for that first period may have some particular reason to be less likely to have transmission.

By: MedHead

MedHead — Fri, 06 Feb 2009 18:41:54 +0000

I didn’t know that the first 6 months was the most dangerous period of an infected/un-infected relationship. Is that because it takes that long to determine if the couple is “discordant”?

By: More oral sex (studies needed) « Time Enough at Last

More oral sex (studies needed) « Time Enough at Last — Fri, 06 Feb 2009 00:10:07 +0000

[...] over to the schools of biology & medicine as well. I agree with my Andrew Sullivan that this study needs to be verified and more studies like it to be done. But it scares me, [...]

By: gis

gis — Thu, 05 Feb 2009 00:45:42 +0000

I am glad you posted the results, but I feel you were irresponsible with the details. Yes, there was a significant results mathematically (p=.0001) that some men acquired a HIV neutralizing factor in their saliva…..but, while significant, that number of men was 13 out of 25. Half chance isn’t protection.
You also failed to mention that this “protection” is only present in the saliva…thus it isn’t systemic, and does not really provide protection.
I recommend you reading the article before placing such amazing claims online.

By: Dallasquestion

Dallasquestion — Wed, 04 Feb 2009 20:24:27 +0000

I’m confused. If my partner is HIV positive (which means he has been exposed to HIV and has anitbodies to the virus in his bodily fluids) and I am sucking him off regularly (I wish…)and I build antibodies to his particular strain of virus…isn’t that the same as saying I’ve become positive (antibodies to his specific virus are now in my bodily fluids)? Confused…any clarification?

By: KCN

KCN — Wed, 04 Feb 2009 11:29:34 +0000

Daniel, that is not at all what this study says at all. This study was on discordant couples. You can not extrapolate that giving blow jobs to a bunch of different men would provide the same antibody response as being repeatedly exposed to the same partner.

By: Nayantara

Nayantara — Wed, 04 Feb 2009 04:51:33 +0000

I think it is very irresponsible to even suggest to the general public that unprotected oral sex might infact be a way to increase ones immunity against HIV. Especially based on the results of this one study. I haven’t read the study, but just from what you post, there is the obvious concern you mention: discordance in and of itself is a condition where HIV positive persons are able to not infect their HIV negative partners even without using protection. So if the couples being recruited were already discordant (and you know this because the negative partner hadn’t gotten infected in the 6 months they have been together), then no amount of unprotected oral, vaginal or anal sex will make them not be ‘discordant’. We already know this about discordance! So a real issue that needs to be addressed before we jump the gun on whether unprotected oral sex is safe, is to understand how HIV discordance is related to a combination of factors that include genetics, HI-virus type, the extent to which the infection has progressed in the HIV-positive partner, other sexually transmitted diseases and circumcision — which research indicates may reduce the risk of HIV infection. Without that, this study has no basis at all!

By: Nico

Nico — Wed, 04 Feb 2009 03:34:16 +0000

Thank you for giving me more resources to debate the fear-based crowd who’d probably warn me against sucking even my own cock…

You are absolutely right. People need options for getting off in fun, hot ways without having to feel paranoid and guilty afterward. We have to give people options for guilt-free sex or they will end up taking even greater risks out of despair and exasperation.

Here is how it plays out in the lives of gay men:
http://ickaprick.blogspot.com/2008/11/why-no-one-wins-blame-game.html

By: Daniel Reeders

Daniel Reeders — Wed, 04 Feb 2009 03:05:58 +0000

I was whooping and hollering with joy when I read this in Aidsmap, thinking of the calls we take on our information line asking ISORALSEXRULLYSAFE? — “Yes, in fact, we recommend sucking as many positive men as possible to build up your antibody response”.