Cutting a long story short, an old friend of mine has reappeared in my life. She had a long history of heroin abuse and is now, unfortunately, hep c positive. She's not on the heroin anymore, but is somewhat stable on methadone.

I dont know much about hep c, other than there are more than fifty strains and when I asked her which one she'd got she just said; "the worst one". I didnt press her on it any further.

I told my bf about this and he's worried because as far as he's concerned hep c is highly infectious. He made some comments about how we shouldnt be sharing cups etc. As far as I am aware hep c is a blood borne virus so things like that shouldnt be an issue. I dont want to be one of those idiots refusing to share a cup with someone infected with an illness out of ignorance, and anyway, it'd seriously break my heart to have to treat her like somebody who's 'diseased'. She's been through enough already.

I'd really appreciate if anyone could tell me anything about this illness and how infectious it really is?

(And no unhelpful comments about my bf being an a-hole please, he's just worried about myself and the child.)

I'm not sure how to reply to this. I've had personal experiences where all my personal friends alienated me and deserted me because they wouldn't touch a video game controller after I had etc. My father made me spit in the toilet for 3 years after brushing my teeth. I know what it's like to have somebody over-react to this out of fear. I understand fear very well. But anyone who acts like that towards someone who has hep c after finding out how contagious it is, is cruel and an A--hole.

That being said, it's VERY difficult to give this to someone.

It's a bloodborne virus, that pretty much says it all. It requires blood-to-blood exposure. As long as you aren't sharing needles/razors/toothbrushes with them or having violent sex, you won't catch it. The CDC lists the risk for people who are having sex with someone who's a monogamous partner with it as a *low risk, and does not reccomend getting tested.

go to cdc.gov and check it out.

That being the case, you have nothing to worry about and neither does your boyfriend.

Thank you for your reply Lackey, and I'm sorry to hear what you went through as a result of peoples fears. I don’t want to treat my friend that way, which is why I posted here in the first place.

I have to say though, I do find it hard to understand why it's ok to share cutlery with her, but not a toothbrush? I mean, you do put both in your mouth after all?! Yes I get that brushing aggravates the gums and often causes a small amount of bleeding, but sure you could just as easily graze the gums with the sharp point of a fork.

Another couple of questions; a - does anyone know how long the hep c virus lives outside the body? And b - I drink socially about once or twice a week and my friend wants to come along with me, but as far as I'm aware drinking will aggravate her condition or weaken her liver, or otherwise put her in danger. Am I right in thinking that?

I don't know for sure how long it lives outside the body, i think like 24-72 hours. nothing kills it, no astringent or dtergent will.

i think sharing cutlery would be ok, but i really wouldn't do that, why chance it when you can just get two forks/knives?

you're absolutely right about the drinking, she should avoid all alcoholic beverages, tylenol, acetaminophen, illegal drugs (including marijuana), and basically anything that gets processed through her liver. that includes fatty foods.

It is very hard to catch from someone unless you are sharing needles. No you should avoid sharing tooth brushes and razors. And yes alchohol is bad for someone with hep c but it is her decision wether she drinks or not. Basically when or if I tell someone I have hep c I immediatly go into a somewhat simple but lengthy explanation of what it is and how it is transmitted and how it is absolutely not transmitted. Unfortunatly I am a bartender and we tend to share cups and food all the time. When I told my fellow co workers I immediatly let them know exactly what it was and exactly how they could not catch it....like basically told them I would have to give them a blood transfusion for them to catch it from and even though I am married I also let them know that I have the one that is not sexually transmitted and is only blood to blood. I think for someone who shares they have this it is a good idea to give an explanation because other wise you have people that confuse it with other things and get freaked out over not being informed. So far I have not had anyone treat me any different and if or when I do they will no longer be my friend.

Ok, thanks for the info people. And if anyone's got anything else to add, feel free.

Thank you for your reply Lackey, and I'm sorry to hear what you went through as a result of peoples fears. I don’t want to treat my friend that way, which is why I posted here in the first place.

I have to say though, I do find it hard to understand why it's ok to share cutlery with her, but not a toothbrush? I mean, you do put both in your mouth after all?! Yes I get that brushing aggravates the gums and often causes a small amount of bleeding, but sure you could just as easily graze the gums with the sharp point of a fork.

Another couple of questions; a - does anyone know how long the hep c virus lives outside the body? And b - I drink socially about once or twice a week and my friend wants to come along with me, but as far as I'm aware drinking will aggravate her condition or weaken her liver, or otherwise put her in danger. Am I right in thinking that?
I have Hep c , caught back when I was 19 I've had two husbands ( working on a 3rd and to children since catching. none, even the children carried in my womb, have hep c. The doc told me bleach kills the virus. If your friend stabbed herself with a knife in the tounge, and you standing next to her tokk the knife and stabbed your tounge maybe , and only maybe would you catch
it. My daughters use to use my razors to shave their legs before we knew, they don't have it. Viral count can also play a role, as lower count, less virus in the blood. No I don't drink, but God help the person that tells me not to.

Has Anyone Ever Heard Of Catching Hep C Through Food Poisoning?

Has Anyone Ever Heard Of Catching Hep C Through Food Poisoning?

you cannot get hep c through anything taken orally. the virus has to make direct contact with blood--usually called 'blood to blood' contact.
hep c is actually not a particularly contagious disease at all, as it happens.
hep b a bit more so, and hep a is defnitely considered a more classically transmissable disease.

sean

I have heard that there have been a lot more instances of possible transmission by snorting drugs-

I have heard that there have been a lot more instances of possible transmission by snorting drugs-

I doubt there'd be "a lot more" cases through snorting as opposed to injecting, but I can certainly see transmission that way as a possibility. As a recovering cocaine addict, I remember many many times, after days of abusing cocaine, we'd all have our noses in such states from the corrosive effect of the drug that they'd literally be pumping blood, and we'd all be sharing the same rolled up note to snort through.