How contagious is HEP C?

You and your friends have nothing to fear. Hepatitis C is not spread by being around someone that has it. It is a blood to blood contact disease only. It is extremely rare to be passed by sexual intercourse unless there is blood present on the genitals of both people involved. Many people that I have treated have had it for over 30 or 40 years and have never given it to their spouses, and this without condoms. Even if you get this persons blood on you, you can't get the disease unless his blood gets into an open wound that you have. I hope you don't make this person feel uncomfortable by staying away from him. Hepatitis C is known as a silent disease because over 3 million people in this country have it and don't know it. 1 in 50 people have hep C. 1 in 20 Viet Nam vets have it. Here are a few ways it can be passed to others..

Using a personal hygiene item that may have dried blood on it from the infected person

Sharing needles

Getting tattoos and piercings at places where they do not use new needles and paint pots.

Fist fights were blood is exchanged.

Blood transfusions before 1992

Needle accidents (health care workers)

The thing about getting shots with air guns is not a proven thing. They have not made a decision on that. They are also not positive that using a shared straw or something to sniff drugs is a way it is passed. Being incarcerated does not mean you are going to get Hep C unless you do something like fight, or share needles.

I treat many people with Hep C every day. They can live a normal healthy life, but they also still need friendship and compassion and understanding. They are not lepers. Don't confuse Hep C with Hep B.

unquestionably not. My husband has hep C. He has had it for 40 years or so and is now taking scientific care (It has only at the instant substitute right into a greater effectual scientific care) this is blood to blood only and is not sexually transmitted till tough intercourse is in touch or open wounds or sore the the two genital components. There could be blood modern. I even have been to many, many, hep C education training with my husband. no person has something to rigidity approximately. absolutely everyone that announces you may get it from saliva or snot, would not comprehend what they're speaking approximately. not with Hep C .. HEP B could be handed by potential of blood AND actual fluids, intercourse, blood, tattooing, etc. there's a vaccine for it. HEP A is handed in contaminated nutrition or water, from man or woman to man or woman and the stool of contaminated human beings. there is likewise a vaccine for it. there isn't any vaccine for HEP C

Hepatitis C is ONLY transmitted blood to blood. You are at risk for Hep C and should be TESTED if you:

* received a blood transfusion or solid organ transplant before July 1992

* were notified that you received blood from a donor who later tested positive for hepatitis C.

* have ever injected illegal drugs, even if you experimented only one time many years ago (or snorted any drugs)

* were a recipient of clotting factor(s) made before 1987

* have ever been on long-term kidney dialysis

* have had tattoos or body piercings

* had sexual activity that involved contact with blood

* have had vaccinations administered with pneumatic jet injectors

* are a veteran (especially Viet Nam)

* have shared razors, toothbrushes, nail clippers, tweezers, etc. with an infected person

* are a health care worker exposed to needle sticks or first responders

* also 5%-10% of babies born to infected mothers will get Hepatitis C

* have ever been incarcerated

that's all.... I wouldn't be worried at all.

to add to the the correct answers.....

how do you know you do not already have hcv? since there are no symptoms, you would not know and most doctors will not ever think to test for hcv infection.

there are many who have hcv and do not know it. i can guarantee that those that work in your office, there is at least one more who does not know they have it, probably given to them 20 or so years ago.....

there are MILLIONS of ways one can acquire hcv infection, but ONLY through the cross contamination of blood, ie, the infected persons blood somehow enters the bloodstream of another.

it's not just "druggies" that acquire hcv infection- many are veterans- no matter what era they serviced our country. some are even children from the 70's or earlier who acquired hcv infection in the same way as vets did: WITH THE JETSHOT GUN.

I'm sure this person knows how to take care of him/herself as to make you guys less worrisome, but truth is there is no chance as it is only spread through blood to blood.

NOT ALL bodily fluids- that would be HBV infection or HAV.

So, don't get nervous because someone you know in your office has HCV, what YOU should be worried about is getting tested for HCV- doctors do not test unless there is evidence in a blood lab that your alt/ast levels are elevated. Truth is, many of us were misdiagnosed with depression or other illnesses because our alt and ast levels never indicated a need for further testing.

GET TESTED. The person in your office might of woken you guys up to HCV...be thankful!!!!

Oh, and SUPPORT is key- especially while on antiviral chemotherapy (yes, hcv is a virus that causes liver disease, however, the virus is capable of inducing cancer....nip it in the bud will lower your chance of developing liver cancer, or other types of cancer associated with hcv infection!)

GOD BLESS the person infected- HCV Is not easy to live with!

The below is from the American Liver Foundations website. The web address is in the source area, in case you want to print it out for yourself or anyone else. Your coworker could use support.

What causes hepatitis C?

You can get hepatitis C if your blood comes into contact with blood from someone who already has the virus. The most common cause of transmission is the sharing of needles and other equipment used to inject illegal drugs. Less common causes of transmission include:

Sharing a razor, toothbrush or nail clipper with an infected person

Accidental exposure to infected blood among health care or public safety workers

Exposure to unclean tattooing or body-piercing instruments

Unprotected anal sex or exposure to multiple sex partners

They people in your office are being stupid.

Hep C can only be transferred through bodily fluids; i.e. direct transfer of blood, sharing needles or unprotected sex.

It can't be caught by coughing, sneezing, drinking from the same cup, touching someone etc.

stop have unprotected sex and sharing needles with that person...then u will be safe....and no more blood transfusions at the office...