Rare 'likely' female-to-female HIV case reported

A 46-year-old woman "likely acquired" the virus during a six-month monogamous relationship with a HIV-positive woman in Texas, said the Centers for Disease Control (CDC).She was infected with a strain that had a 98% genetic match to her partner's.The virus can be transmitted when bodily fluids come into contact with cuts, abrasions and mucus membranes."In this case, the discordant couple [one HIV-infected partner and one uninfected partner] routinely had direct sexual contact - without using barrier methods for protection - that involved the exchange of blood through abrasions received during sexual activity," the CDC said in summary of ta weekly report.The originally uninfected partner is said to have had a history of heterosexual relationships but none during the past 10 years.She also had none of the other HIV exposure risks, including intravenous drug use.Her partner, a 43-year-old woman, had stopped taking antiretroviral drugs in 2010.(BBC)ANN.Az