Researchers use new measurement to predict risk of HIV transmission

The findings of a recent study published in the journal Science Translational Medicine indicate that medical experts may be able to predict the risk of HIV transmission between an infected person and their sexual partner by measuring amounts of the virus in HIV-positive genital secretions.

According to the study's results, higher concentrations of the virus in an infected individual's genital discharge significantly increased the chances that they would spread the disease to a partner, regardless of the potency of HIV in their blood.

"The results validate more than 20 years of research and dozens of studies measuring genital levels of HIV as potential measures of HIV infectiousness," said lead researcher Jared Baeten.

The scientists said they believe that their findings will serve as a new marker for the efficacy of HIV treatments. For example, if antiretrovirals reduce amounts of the virus in a person's blood but not their genital secretions, the drugs may not hold much promise for reducing the spread of the disease.

People who engage in unprotected sex have a high risk of contracting the virus. More than 1.1 million Americans are living with HIV, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.