Dr. Handsome Bob, major squeezes even though I'm a gay Republican and many other Republicans would just freeze in horror at seeing me do it...hmm..maybe that's the way... In any case, I've read a lot about so-called "double negative" people who have faulty CCR5 receptors or something that makes it tough for HIV to get a foothold. I'm negative and my partner is positive. I have this lingering doubt that maybe it was me who somehow was exposed and though it couldn't take hold in me, it did in him somehow. Is there such a thing? Is it worth being tested for this CCR5 thing to make me feel more at ease about sex? All is great with treatment, but sometimes I wonder about this.

Hi,

You wonder about double negatives? Hmmm, I tend to wonder about gay Republicans.

There are a variety of events that have to occur for HIV to gain access to a cell, in essence, to establish an infection. One of those events involves binding to cell receptors. The two major cell receptors are called CCR5 and CXCR4. Some folks are genetically deficient in making one or both of these receptors. HIV is so clever it may also get into cells by other means as well. Should you get tested for receptors? No. -- this story is still unfolding. Receptor testing is still a research tool at this time. Could you have passed HIV on to your partner without being infected yourself? No. --your lingering doubts are scientifically unfounded.

Now, speaking of scientifically unfounded,... since I explained "the whole double negative thing" could you explain the whole gay Republican thing to me?

Thanks for the squeezes. Can we do it in person on national TV at the GOP convention in NYC next month?

Stay well. Hug your partner for me, and take him out for a nice evening. Might I suggest you go see "Fahrenheit 9/11?"

Dr. Bob