AIDS do i have it?

Question

I shared a cigerette with someone who has AIDS do i have it now??

Answer 1

I just spent about 20 minutes answering another question about HIV/AIDS -- I used to be an HIV/AIDS educator, and it's a topic very close to my heart -- so, I'll answer your question, and then I'll post the response that I put in for the other question:

You cannot contract AIDS -- AIDS is a syndrome -- that means it's a group of symptoms caused by something else. Among the symptoms present for a diagnosis of AIDS are a CD-4 Count that is severely negated (usually below 500), and opportunistic infections including bacterial pneumonia, cytomegalovirus, kaposi's sarcoma, and oral candidiasis.

You can contract HIV. Hiv is the VIRUS that can LEAD to AIDS -- but, it's not Aids. HIV is contracted by contact with blood-based fluids of a person who is a carrier of the virus. Blood-based fluids include blood, semen, and vaginal secretions.

You cannot contract HIV from saliva, unless you're doing open-mouth kissing with somebody who has HIV, and both of you have open sores (as may occur when brushing your teeth). You cannot contract HIV by sharing a bathroom, eating utensils, or casual contact (hugging, shaking hands, sharing seats).

So, in short -- no, you can't contract AIDS from a person by sharing a cigarette. It is, however, possible to contract HIV (the virus that causes AIDS) IF that person has open sores, AND you have open sores, AND the cigarette came into contact with fluids from the open sores in the other person's mouth, AND the cigarette came into contact with fluids from the open sores in your mouth.

***Now, I'm pasting the response to the other question I answered, which will give you more information about HIV and how it works ***

HIV is sort of freaky.

It's a retro-virus. It works by using the body's own cells to make more HIV cells. The cell it uses is called the CD-4 cell. It's part of the immune system. HIV is dangerous because the CD-4 Cell is specialized to tell the rest of the body that there's an invader.

If HIV attacks and uses enough CD-4 cells, they (the CD-4) can't reproduce, and they body won't recognize (sufficiently) that HIV is in the body . . . so, it may man a response, but not enough of one, or fast enough.

Because of this -- it can take YEARS (sometimes even 10 years) before HIV can be detected . . . for some tests, it doesn't actually look for the virus -- it looks for the body's response to the virus (and if the virus is attacking the part of the body that recognizes that there's an invader, it can't arm a response).

Even though somebody may not test positive for HIV (because the body hasn't manned a response), they can spread it to other people. Even though a person may not know they have HIV, they can spread it to other people.

If there is ONE HIV virus cell in a human body -- ONE cell (that's like, 1 hundred trillion billionth of the size of a teaspoon) it can latch on to those CD-4 cells, and reproduce . . . it just takes time before there's enough for us to see (or, there's enough of a response from the body for us to see).

Even though we can't see it, it can still be transmitted . . . even though the number of HIV cells (called the "viral load") is low, it can still be transmitted.

If he was told that the number of HIV cells in his body (his viral load) was so low that he was unable to infect other people, the health-care provider who told him that is either a liar, or is incompetent.

That man should know that having sex with others after having been diagnosed with HIV, and either misleading them regarding the diagnosis (or, not telling them about it) can be (in most states) charged as attempted murder.

It's interesting to note that while the cases are few and far between, there have been some remarkable breakthroughs in the treatment and prevention of HIV.

A child was born of a mother who was infected with HIV. Before the baby was born, the mother was treated with a special medication, and when the baby was born, the baby, too, was treated with a special medication. The baby did not develop an HIV infection, because the virus was unable to attach to the CD-4 cells, and was unable to reproduce.

In order to make more HIV cells, the virus has to latch on to the CD-4 cell, at a certain spot. Some African American people lack that special spot (called a surface protein) on their CD-4 cells. That means that the virus is unable to reproduce in their bodies . . . the CD-4 cell is unaffected, so it can recognize that the HIV doesn't belong there, and it can attack it . . . but the person can STILL transmit the virus (even though it doesn't reproduce, and even though the numbers may be very low, in their blood).

Answer 2

Kert people can be right B***ard's and ignorant when it comes to topics like Aid's. Some people think you can get it from physical contact. Recently i was asked by a person i worked with why i did not give blood i informed them that i cannot give blood because gay people are not allowed. Another person who i no longer talk to said to us Gay men are not allowed to give blood because they all have Aid's. He went on to say that It was Natures way of sorting us out. Ignorance like this is pathetic and unfortunately it will stay until people are educated on the matter and treat us all equally. I work as a social care worker in Ireland and I've had my fair share of homophobic comments from the kids i work with and there families, even teachers at school, and like you I have helped people pass on. Its a hard thing to do and you should be commended for it. Don't let this person get you down or pissed off if he (I'm going to persume its a him) is your friend or whatever and you want him to stay in your life talk it out with him. But don't let him get to you!!! You are right though he is a Phucker

Answer 3

Not really, I hate to say it but if you had a fresh new cut on your lips and the person that had HIV/AIDS saliva came in contact with that cut, the virus may have gotten in to your system. But you would need quit of bit of the virus in your system to worry about getting HIV/AIDS virus. But if I had to tell you yes or no, I would say no you don't have to worry.

If you like you can always get tested now and then in 6 months and then 1 year after that.

Take Care and I hope that this helps

Answer 4

The majority of people infected by HIV develop a flu-like illness within a month or two after the virus enters the body. This illness, known as primary or acute HIV infection, may last for a few weeks. Possible signs and symptoms include:

Fever
Headache
Muscle aches
Rash
Chills
Sore throat
Mouth or genital ulcers
Swollen lymph glands, mainly on the neck
Joint pain
Night sweats
Diarrhea

Although the symptoms of primary HIV infection may be mild enough to go unnoticed, the amount of virus in the bloodstream (viral load) is particularly high at this time. As a result, HIV infection spreads more efficiently during primary infection than during the next stage of infection.

Answer 5

Get educated.. U cant get The Hiv virus by drinking by smoking... If you dont get educated about this you will get it.. Use a condom when having sex.
Good luck

Answer 6

Did you perform oral sex on him? Did you have sex with him? Stop being stupid or one day you wil get AIDS.

Answer 7

No that's casual contact...can't get it that way. Don't worry yourself to death. There is no way you could have contracted it that way.

Answer 8

YES, go to the ER right away!!!

Answer 9

no you do not but you should get tested ifd you feel that way

Answer 10

no...it's spread through blood and sexual fluids