A man who infected his wife with his own HIV blood so that she would resume having sex with him can now be named.

Police issued a photograph of Artwell Chakanyuka, 35, on Tuesday evening and said women who had had sex with him should get in touch with police or health services.

Chakanyukawas was jailed for eight years and four months on February 3 for wilfully infecting his 33-year-old wife with the virus.

Justice Ailsa Duffy initially granted interim name suppression so that the woman's lawyer, Lester Cordwell, could argue her case for suppression to be continued in order for her not to be identified as the victim.

But after a hearing last week the judge ruled against continuing name suppression, though she acknowledged that that was likely to identify the woman.

Chakanyuka and his now estranged wife were given until 5pm Tuesday to appeal the judge's decision, or name suppression would lapse.

No appeal was lodged.

She said the Crown was concerned that there was nothing to indicate that Chakanyuka had told the other women he was HIV-positive or that he had practised safe sex with them.

The judge referred to the stigma associated with the disease and said many people wanted their condition kept private.

She said that neither the woman nor her children should have to endure information about her medical condition entering the public domain.

Ordinarily the woman's privacy would have overridden publication.

However she ruled that: "The combination of the presumption of open justice, and the potential risk of other members of the community being infected with HIV as a result of Mr Chakanyuka's conduct, must outweigh the privacy interests of the victim and her children."

Chakanyuka infected his wife by pricking her with a sewing needle laced with his contaminated blood while she slept.

On one occasion she also caught him handling a syringe full of blood.

Apparently his motive was for his wife, who refused to have sex with him for fear of catching the disease, to resume sexual relations with him.

The woman does not use Chakanyuka's name.

Police said on Tuesday that Chakanyuka had been sexually active for some years in Auckland.

"We have been able to determine that the offender has been sexually active with other women in the Auckland area over the last few years," said Detective Simon Jeffries, of the Counties Manukau Police.

"Anyone who hasn't already been in touch with police or health services regarding contact with this man and who has concerns for their health, should contact a doctor or health provider as soon as possible."

By Staff reporter and agencies