Bug Chasing and Gift Giving Terms, Acronyms and Social Media Hashtags

If you have ever come across a word or term you’ve never heard of before, your first reaction might involve curiosity or confusion, where you might just go along with what is being said, followed by you quickly looking it up the first chance you get so you know what’s going on and get back in the loop again. The world is constantly coming up with new terms and acronyms, which can make it difficult to keep up with the evolving terminology. When it comes to bug chasing or gift giving, it can be hard to find comprehensive information in one place, so this article has been put together to give you some insight, although it’s likely that you already know everything on this page.

To help you understand some of the terms, acronyms and social media hashtags involved with bug chasing and gift giving, this article has been created with the assistance of Van, who kindly contributed some of the information you will find here. I had already started working on this page, so when Van messaged me and suggested the inclusion of a “Pozipedia” along with some definitions he had already come up with, so we merged what we both had already come up with to create this document. Van also came up with a cool name for it, being “Pozipedia”, which is a name that sums up what this page is about perfectly.

This “Pozipedia” contains information similar to what you would find in an encyclopaedia or Wikipedia, with the only difference being that this document exclusively encompasses the subject of bug chasing and gift giving. This page will remain a living document, because some of the terms and acronyms will change and new terms will come along, so this reference material will continue to be updated, just like the other articles published here. If you know of any references that haven’t been included on this page yet, please share them in the comments below so this article can be updated.

Barebacking, Bug Chasing, Gifting Giving, HIV and STI Definitions

Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndrome (AIDS): The final stage of infection with Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV), where the body’s immune system has become badly damaged by the virus. Symptoms include weight loss, fever, fatigue and recurrent infections, which can lead to death, however, antiretroviral medication can prevent the virus from reaching this stage.

Bareback: Coined in the early 1990s to define the preference for forgoing the use of condoms and engaging in unprotected anal sex with one or more guys. This term was initially used by gay porn studios and gay men, but was later embraced by the straight porn industry, with the term is starting to lose its identity, due to so many people now having bareback sex following the introduction of PrEP.

Blood Slam: Injecting the blood of a toxic person into the bloodstream of an HIV-negative person to facilitate HIV infection. This is considered to be nearly 100% effective at conversion.

Breeding: When the top ejaculates directly inside the bottom without pulling out during unprotected sex. This ‘direct cum injection’ is sometimes referred to in bug chasing circles as impregnating the HIV-negative participant with toxic (or viral) seed and potentially infecting him with the virus.

Bug Chaser: An HIV-negative person who is intentionally seeking to become infected with Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV). The term ‘bug’ refers to HIV and the word ‘chaser’ can be used to abbreviate the term.

CD4: These cells are also known as T-cells, T-lymphocytes or helper cells and they are the white blood cells that fight infection. The CD4 count is a test that measures how many CD4 cells you have in your blood. A normal CD4 count ranges from 500 to 1,500 and those living with HIV with a count above 500 are considered to be in good health, but those living with HIV with a count below 200 are at risk of developing serious illnesses.

Charged: Signifies that cum is detectable and has the ability to infect another person with Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV) or other Sexually Transmitted Infections (STIs).

Conversion Party: A planned event where an HIV-negative person will bottom for multiple HIV-positive detectable men in the hopes of becoming infected with HIV or other STIs.

Convert: To change someone’s HIV status from negative to positive. Conversion can be the result of intentional HIV transmission through bug chasing, but can also happen unintentionally through intravenous drugs or having unprotected sex without being on PrEP.

Creampie: When a bareback top pulls out before ejaculation, then ejaculates and pushes his cum-covered cock back inside the bottom’s hole again. This usually leaves a creamy mess on the outside of the bottom’s hole.

Cruel Condom: A metal sheath made of small, stainless steel hoops, which can be worn like a regular condom, but it provides no protection against HIV or other STIs. The friction caused by a cruel condom results in skin abrasions to the anal flesh, which increases the chance of HIV infection.

Detectable: An HIV-positive person with a viral load capable of transmitting the virus to others.

Elite Controller: An HIV-positive person who maintains a CD4 count above 500 without the use of antiretroviral therapy (ART) and has a detectable viral load and can still transmit the virus. An elite controller is sometimes referred to as a Long-Term Nonprogressor (LTNP).

Gift Giver: An HIV-positive person who intentionally transmits Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV) to an HIV-negative person. The term ‘gift’ refers to HIV and the word ‘gifter’ can be used to abbreviate the term.

Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV): A virus that attacks the CD4 cells that help the body fight infection. The virus can be transmitted through infected blood or semen. Within a few weeks of infection, flu-like symptoms can occur, then the disease is usually asymptomatic until it progresses to AIDS. There is currently no cure for HIV, but medication can be taken to make the virus undetectable, which prevents the transmission of the virus to others.

Long-Term Nonprogressors (LTNPs): Sometimes referred to as ‘elite controllers’, are individuals infected with HIV, who maintain a CD4 count greater than 500 without the use of antiretroviral therapy, but have a detectable viral load and can still transmit the virus.

No Load Refused: Highlights the acceptance of all loads, no matter what the HIV status. This term can be used by anyone in the barebacking community, but bug chasers tend to use this term to show they are open to receiving HIV-positive loads.

Poz: To be HIV-positive or to convert someone from being HIV-negative to HIV-positive.

Poz Brotherhood: A community of like-minded men who are Poz or who are trying to become Poz.

Poz Curious: Those who are thinking about starting to chase HIV, or those who are excited by Poz talk.

Poz Tribe: A group of men who have been pozzed by the same man, thereby sharing the same “strain.”

Pregnant: Symbolises the body carrying HIV after being infected, in a similar comparison to when a woman is carrying a child after being impregnated. The woman becomes pregnant through ‘fertilised seed’ from a man, while the bug chaser becomes pregnant through the ‘toxic or viral seed’ of a man.

Russian Roulette: A game of chance at a bareback sex party, where HIV-negative and HIV-positive participants fuck without knowing each others HIV statuses.

Stealthing: A person who intentionally misleads another person about using a condom (by taking it off or damaging it) or lying about their HIV status.

Strain: The specific viral marker of someone’s HIV infection.

Toothbrush: Prepares the anal canal for maximum susceptibility to HIV infection by using a toothbrush before, during and after sex. This can also be shortened to “brush” and some refer to “brushing”, which is the act of creating abrasions to the anal canal with the toothbrush.

Toxic: An HIV-positive person who has a detectable viral load. Other words to describe this include poison, venom and viral.

Undetectable: An HIV-positive person on medication that reduces and/or sublimates their viral load to zero.

Viral Load: The measurement of the amount of the virus in a blood sample, reported as a number of HIV RNA copies per millimetre of blood plasma. When taking HIV medication, the viral load should reduce and the CD4 count should increase, with the opposite generally taking effect without medication. Viral load is an important indicator of HIV progression and how well the treatment is working.

Barebacking, Bug Chasing, Gifting Giving, HIV and STI Acronyms

AIDS – Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndrome
ART – Antiretroviral Therapy
ARV – Antiretroviral
BB – Bareback (sex or porn)
CD4 – CD4 Count
HIV – Human Immunodeficiency Virus
HVL – High Viral Load
LTNP – Long-Term Nonprogressor
MSM – Men who have Sex with Men
NEG – HIV-negative
PNP – Party and Play
POZ – HIV-positive
STD – Sexually Transmitted Disease
STI – Sexually Transmitted Infection
U=U – Undetectable Equals Untransmittable
UVL – Undetectable Viral Load

Barebacking, Bug Chasing and Gifting Giving Social Media Hashtags

#bbbh Used by barebackers to let other men know they are open to having bareback sex. This hashtag is not used primarily by bug chasers and gift givers, but some chasers and gifters do use this hashtag to help reach a target audience.

#bugchaser Used by HIV-negative men seeking unprotected sex with HIV-positive detectable men with the intention of becoming infected with HIV.

#giftgiver Used by HIV-positive detectable men seeking unprotected sex with HIV-negative men with the intention of transmitting the virus and infecting them with HIV.

#neg4poz Used by HIV-negative men seeking unprotected sex with HIV-positive detectable men with the intention of becoming infected with HIV.

#noloadrefused Can be used interchangeably by HIV-negative or HIV-positive men to let others know they are willing to accept loads of any HIV status.

#poz4neg Used by HIV-positive detectable men seeking unprotected sex with HIV-negative men with the intention of transmitting the virus and infecting them with HIV.

#rawislaw Used by barebackers to affirm that unprotected sex is the only way they will ever have anal sex, with the use of condoms not up for discussion.

#toxic Used by HIV-positive men to confirm they are not currently taking HIV medication, which means their viral load is detectable and can be transmitted to others.

If there are any other hashtags, terms, definitions or acronyms you know of that aren’t already included in this article, please leave a comment below so they can be added if they are relevant or suitable.

Featured Photo: 0fjd125gk87 from Pixabay.
Article ID: CC052
Version Control: 1.1 – April 10, 2023: Added terms ‘Elite Controller” and “Long-Term Nonprogressor.
Version Control: 1.0 – November 9, 2022: Original article published.