Gay men with HIV are exposing themselves to increased risk by having unprotected sex at ‘poz parties’, creating the potential to create an HIV superinfection.

Rather than containing the virus within an already infected group, Doctors believe that HIV+ men who have unprotected sex with multiple partners, who are also HIV+, could allow the disease to develop treatment-resistant strains of the AIDS virus.

“The high rates of unprotected sex suggests potential for an epidemiological bridge between poz parties and non-poz party environments,” Michael Clatts told the Journal of Sexually Transmitted Infections.

“Unprotected sexual contact with HIV partners and status unknown partners outside the poz party venues heightens concern for diffusion of HIV superinfection.

"Additional research is needed in order to elaborate our understanding of the nature of these emerging sexual environments, and the role that they have in sexual partnering of HIV positive men having sex with men.

A recent survey found that poz parties are gaining in popularity across the globe and that people taking part were mainly white, over 30 and had lived with the HIV for up to 20 years.

The men questioned said they took part in the events because it stopped the need to reveal their HIV status.

Deborah Jack, chief executive of the National AIDS Trust said that the clear guidance is needed about the risks of unprotected sex among HIV positive people.

“Lack of clear guidance about the risks of unprotected sex among HIV positive people is potentially jeopardising the health of people living with HIV.

“Poz parties show a desire among gay men living with HIV not to spread the virus.

“However, the health of HIV positive people is being put at risk, due to the possibility of drug resistance and co-infection with different HIV strains.

“The existence of poz parties shows the difficulty for people living with HIV to reveal their status, due to the pervasive stigma of HIV and fear of discrimination within the gay community."