Can you get HBV from dried blood if you have cuts on your hands? I went to buy a new toilet brush holder and took one wrapped in plastic off the shelf in the store and was looking at it when all of a sudden I noticed the plastic had dried blood on it on the other side........I know I touched the dried blood side and as I have eczema on my hands and little cuts I am panicking. Should I be worried -- I used some sanitizing hand wash which burned like h--l and then went to the restroom and washed my hands. Of course I pushed the cart where I had held the handle before so don't know if that was bad. I did tell a clerk about it.

Thanks as I am immunecomprimised and don't need another thing on my plate - had a mastectomy.

Can you get HBV from dried blood if you have cuts on your hands? I went to buy a new toilet brush holder and took one wrapped in plastic off the shelf in the store and was looking at it when all of a sudden I noticed the plastic had dried blood on it on the other side........I know I touched the dried blood side and as I have eczema on my hands and little cuts I am panicking. Should I be worried -- I used some sanitizing hand wash which burned like h--l and then went to the restroom and washed my hands. Of course I pushed the cart where I had held the handle before so don't know if that was bad. I did tell a clerk about it.

Thanks as I am immunecomprimised and don't need another thing on my plate - had a mastectomy.

you're probably ok but since you're going to worry you might as well get some blood work done to rule it out. It's HCV isn't it?

Hi

No I was thinking hepatitis B not C. I believe the B is picked up from blood and I read the virus can live for more than a week on dried blood on something. I did call the docs office (well, you never see the doc - it's the NP) and they never called back with an answer so I figured you folks actually know more than they do.

Thanks.

Hi

No I was thinking hepatitis B not C. I believe the B is picked up from blood and I read the virus can live for more than a week on dried blood on something. I did call the docs office (well, you never see the doc - it's the NP) and they never called back with an answer so I figured you folks actually know more than they do.

Thanks.

HCV is from blood

HCV, HBV and HIV are from blood. HBV is bad because it can live on dried blood for a week whereas HIV dies off when the blood dries up....don't know about HCV. Have to look that up. Every site I have gone on to now says HBV lives on any dried bodily fluid for around 7 days and if you have a cut on your hand (like I do - millions from eczema) it can get into your bloodstream. Sorry I looked it up but I did call the docs office and the nurse finally called me back and said you can only catch it from fresh blood -- guess the 100 sites that say you can get it from dried blood are wrong................................... .................