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Does HIV spread by sharing a cigarette with an infected person?
Q: I am 26 years old and I have a problem regarding AIDS. Since AIDS is spread through blood, so if an infected person with bleeding gums smokes a cigarette and the same is then smoked by me, will I get AIDS? Even if do not shows any symptoms but if the person tests positive for AIDS, will I be having AIDS too?
A:You need have no worry about acquiring HIV infection by smoking a cigarette previously smoked by a HIV positive person with or without bleeding gums. HIV infection can be detected by suitable tests. The usual ELISA, Rapid or Simple tests only give reliable results after the window period is over. The window period is generally taken to be 12 weeks in most cases, in rare cases it may extend to 24 weeks or 6 months.
