You are here:

AIDS/Anal Sex

Advertisement

Expert: - 2/9/2011


Question
Hi Dr. Gourab,

I'm a guy and I usually have anal sex with other guys (multiple partners). I'm usually top, and sometimes bottom. I do make it a point to wear a condom; however, just recently, I had anal sex without one -- I was top by the way.

I've been reading up on HIV and how one contracts it. However, most articles don't seem to satisfy my question: if ever it is a possibility, what are the chances of the guy giving anal sex (i.e. the top) contracting the disease? and how does the top get infected by it?

Almost all articles I've read focus on the bottom and how semen from the 'top guy' infects the 'bottom guy' through the possible cuts and lesions made by the penetration. So now I just want to give the perspective a turn and focus on the one on top.

Thank you very much and I hope to hear from you soon.

Answer
Welcome Krause to AllExperts.

Let’s come to your question.

In fact, unprotected (without a condom) anal sex (intercourse irrespective of the roles during sex positioning) is considered to be very risky behavior, which you’ve already read in many articles. It is possible for either sex partner to become infected with HIV during anal sex. HIV can be found in the blood, semen, pre-seminal fluid, or vaginal fluid of a person infected with the virus. While in general, the person receiving the semen (‘bottom’) is at greater risk of getting HIV because the lining of the rectum is thin and may allow the virus to enter the body during anal sex, a person who inserts his penis into an infected partner (‘top’) also is at risk because HIV can enter through the urethra (the opening at the tip of the penis) or through small cuts, abrasions, or open sores on the penis (CDC, 2010).

Hope this answer satisfies your question.

For further inquiry, please feel free to contact.

Regards,
Gorkey

AIDS

All Answers

Answers by Expert:

Ask Experts

Volunteer

Gorkey Gourab

Expertise

Social and behavioral issues related to HIV transmission, sexually transmitted infections, Human Rights issues, rights of marginalized populations, gender and sexuality, research design and analysis related social & behavioral issues, , computer assisted qualitative data analysis and data management (using ATLAS.ti, ANTHROPAC, NVivo 8)

Experience

Specialized in Medical Anthropology. Working on Social and behavioral studies related to HIV transmission as well as Human Rights issues. Specialization in gender, sexuality, masculinity, behavioral studies related to HIV transmission. Qualitative research, programmatic and M&E experience with MSM, hijra (TG), indigenous groups, female sex workers for more than 7 years.

Organizations
International Center for Diarrhoeal Disease Research, Bangladesh (icddr,b) as Manager - M&E (Qualitative) with Center for HIV and AIDS

Publications
International peer-reviewed journals & technical papers: (1) Khan, S. I., Hussain, M. I., Parveen, S., Bhuiyan, M. I., Gourab, G., & Bhuiya, A. (2009). Living on the extreme margin: Social exclusion of the hijra in Bangladesh. Journal of health, population and nutrition. (2) Khan, S. I., Hussain, M. I., Gourab, G., Parveen, S., Bhuiyan, M. I., & Sikder, J. (2008). Not to stigmatize but to humanize sexual lives of the transgender (hijra): condom chat in the AIDS era. Journal of LGBT Health Research (Special issue: issues on male sexual behaviors and HIV risk in South Asia). Working papers: (1) Khan, S. I., Gourab, G., Ahmed, T., Sarker, G. F., Chowdhury, F. K., Ghosh, S., et al. (2009). Understanding the operational dynamics and possible HIV interventions for residence-based female sex workers in two divisional cities in Bangladesh. Dhaka, Bangladesh: NASP, Save the Children USA and icddr,b. Presentations in scientific meetings and conferences: (1) Khan, S. I., Hussain, M. I., Gourab, G. & Azim, T. (2011, 16 March 2011). Use of a new approach to count and access diverse groups of hijra for scaling up HIV-preventions services in Bangladesh. Poster presented at the 13th Annual Scientific Conference (ASCON XIII), Dhaka. (2) Khan, S. I., Pasa, K., Gourab, G., & Islam, A. (2007). Indigenous populations of Bangladesh: Living with risks and vulnerabilities to STIs/HIV. 8th International Congress on AIDS in Asia and the Pacific (ICAAP). Colombo, Sri Lanka.

Education/Credentials
MSS (Anthropology), University of Rajshahi, Bangladesh

Awards and Honors
The Vanderbilt-UAB Fogarty International Center AIDS International Training and Research Program (AITRP)Scholarship for the training on HIV-AIDS related qualitative data analysis and manuscript writing (Center for Global Health, Vanderbilt University, Nashville, TN, USA)

©2012 About.com, a part of The New York Times Company. All rights reserved.