Identify aspects of the HIV/AIDS diagnosis disclosure to the sexual partner and difficulties experienced.

Qualitative study with 11 HIV patients, seven male and four female, age between 30 and 51 years old attended in a Brazilian AIDS specialized service. The interviews were individually performed through a semi structured script recorded and transcribed by the researcher herself and analyzed according to Prosa de André. The data were grouped in one theme: the diagnosis disclosure and five topics: insecurity in revealing the diagnosis, loss of trust, fear of abandonment, feeling pressure by health professionals and feelings and reactions after the HIV seropositivity disclosure.

Among the participants, seven had already established relationship before the HIV seropositivity and four built their relationships after learning the HIV/AIDS diagnosis. The moment of the diagnosis disclosure is a difficult moment for infected individuals who experience doubt regarding their partnersʼserological condition, besides the possibility of being judged and abandoned by them. Negative consequences in the relationship occur with the partnerʼs loss of trust because in addition to the seropositivity, infidelity is also revealed.

Health services must be prepared to help HIV patients in revealing their diagnoses, offering assistance to their partners not only for the realization of serological tests, but also for the follow up and counseling of multiprofessional teams. Counseling provides an environment of thrust and welcome, favoring adequate and ethical approach of complexes themes such as the disclosure of the HIV seropositivity diagnosis to the sexual partner.