Re: Hepatitis C

In Reply to: Hepatitis C posted by David on December 15, 1999 at 23:55:05:

Hepatitis c is a blood borne pathogen. the most efficient route of transmission is blood to blood, however, it can be transmitted sexually. Sexual transmission is an inefficient mode of transmission, however, the risk increases in several ways:
1) male to female ransmission
2)concurrent infection with an STD (herpes, HIV, chlamydia)
3)multiple partners, meaning that a long term, one partner (many years) is less risky than multiple exposures

Generally the risk factors are:
1) IVDU, including the guys in the gym shooting up steroids, and any other needle use
2)tattooes and body piercing (it's in the ink and equipment, not just needles)
3)blood transfusion, OR blood products before 1992 (including the Rho-gam given to Rh- women)
4)rare occurances may happens with blood to blood exposure through: manicure tools, toothbrush sharing, and other less obvious
5) barroom, street or prison fights where there is blood
6) occupational exposure (police, EMT, nurse, doctor, dentist)

There is no vaccine for hepatitis C. Hepatitis A and B are different diseases and the vaccines have no protective value for HepC.

I hope this helps.

thanbey