What will it be next? Seems like every day we look at the news there is something else out there that could - has - or probably will make us sick in one way or another...

|FACTS| on how you can get "Hepatitis C"
Sharing needles and/or other "works" used to mix, cook or shoot drugs.
Sharing straws for snorting drugs.
Receiving blood, blood products, or solid organs.
Being on long-term kidney dialysis without knowing you may have shared supplies/equipment.
Working at a job where you have a lot of contact with blood.
Being born to a mother who had Hepatitis C at the time of your birth.
Having sex with an infected person without using a condom.
Living with someone who was infected and sharing items such as razors and toothbrushes.
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|MYTHS| on how to get "Hepatitis C"
Hepatitis C is spread by:

Casual contact: shaking or holding hands, skin-to-skin contact, sneezing, hugging, coughing.
Sharing silverware or drinking glasses, or through food or water.

What about kissing?

Have You Been Exposed?
a. injecting drug use and other shared drug paraphernalia

The hepatitis C virus is very easily transmitted by contact with infected blood.

Exposure to others’ blood through shared needles or drug paraphernalia (even many years ago and even if it was only once) may be the source of hepatitis C infection.

b. blood transfusion, blood products (plasma, immune globulin, platelets, etc.) or organ transplant from infected donor, especially prior to 1992
The hepatitis C virus was first isolated in 1989, and a test to detect exposure to HCV has only been available since 1992.

Anyone who received a blood transfusion or other blood products prior to 1992 may have unknowingly been exposed to HCV and should be tested.

exposure to infected blood through occupation, manicures, pedicures, piercings, tattoos, sports, sharing personal care items (razors, toothbrushes, etc.)
c. unsterile medical injections or poorly sterilized medical equipment
Although most medical facilities go to great lengths to be sure all equipment is sterilized, there have been reported cases of hepatitis C traced back to the use of reused or incompletely sterilized medical equipment.

d. birth to an HCV-infected mother
The risk of transmission from a mother with hepatitis C to her baby is approximately 5-10%. The risk is higher if the mother is also infected with HIV.

The risk of transmission from mother to baby is not affected by the delivery method.

e. sex with infected partner
This is an uncommon route of transmitting the hepatitis C virus, especially among long-term monogamous couples.

The risk of sexual transmission is increased among people with multiple sexual partners, and when sexual practices result in blood-to-blood exposure.

f. combat exposure
g. incarceration

I have to agree with Two B's list better than Frank's. My spouse is infected, and in a very short amount of time, you learn a lot about what it can and can't do. The doctors at the U spent more time trying to figure out WHERE and WHEN he got it than trying to do something about it RIGHT NOW. It doesn't matter WHERE you catch it. Once you've got it...you've got it.

There are stats that suggest that 25% of people infected will clear the virus themselves, there is also new treatment for those that are less advanced that is promising. Interferon. But there are many that have to make major lifestyle changes and will still live long lives, if they stay away from chemicals that are processed by the liver.

When you've got it, it becomes the devil in the closet that won't leave. My mom got it. Doctor's believe it happened over 25 years ago during a blood transfusion after she almost died after a still birth. It was and is totally devastating to our family. A person who lived an LDS life style all her life to be diagnosed with liver cirrhosis was rather heartbreaking.
The thing is, she was diagnosed over a year ago and still there is no real treatment that she receives. She is wasting away in front of us getting sicker and sicker and we are watching her organs fail. It is terrible and I am glad for this article so that awareness is raised and hopefully someday there are actually some valid treatment options.

Your mom needs to contact the Hepatitis C support group in Salt Lake, if she hasn't already. Call Amber 949-0993 or Bruce 558-8131 for more information. Your family is not alone.

You will not get infected by kissing. It is transmitted through blood not other bodily fluids.

Hep C (HCV) was declared pandemic.

For every 1 HIV, there are 4 with HCV.

I'm more interested in cure for HCV than spending millions on find medications to alleviate the symptoms, still killing the victims.

Drug companies nowadays are NOT interested in cures, they're more interested in profits from the mediciations used to alleviate symptoms.

When was the last time there was a major cure for a major disease?

...I may be naive (sp?), but I hope that's not true. I hope that the drug companies are still looking for cures.

My husband is in medical school. Hep C can be spread as easily as touching an open wound on a person with Hep C. Kissing someone who has Hep C with an open kanker, blood can give you it as well.

The biggest problem with the spread of all the Heps is illegal immigration. If you come here leagally you have to get the vacination. Just as you would if you are leaving this country and going to many other countires of the world. Illegals are coming here infected and not knowing they are getting other sick.

This is one big reason why we need some sort of good solution to stop this illegal immigration. It is not only effecting our economy it is effecting our health

Merly touching an open wound will NOT infect you. Nor will a mere canker sore transmit the virus. You act as though skin is a sponge soaking up every bacteria and virus it comes in contact with and that isnt the case. The offending agent MUST come in contact with another host through the blood, not just skin contact. People like yourself that are only half educated are dangerous because some unsuspecting niave person will trust what you say. I would also say your opinion of "illegals" is horrendsly biased. Im curious where you got your facts about illegals being infected with Hep C. Do you have specific reports in regards to how they are the biggest contributor of the spread of Hep C? I hope your husband isnt as racist as you are.

What's race got to do with it? Illegal aliens are a problem for a lot of things, and it's not unreasonable that they spread disease if they are not immunized... in the US we are usually forced into immunization… while in Mexico it isn’t the always the case especially in rural areas… it might not be Hep C but they might have Hep B or Hep A, which also in my opinion isn’t a great thing since illegals tend to work in restaurants handling food.

This is incorrect information. The only way touching an open wound or kissing a person with a cold sore could conceivably transmit the virus, is if both people had OPEN wounds and OPEN cold sores that came directly in contact with each other.

The only problem with vaccinating immigrants is...THERE IS NO VACCINE FOR HEPATITIS C!

When I went to live in the middle east I had to get the Hep B and Hep C vacinations. It is on my immunization record. I think they only last 10 years like the tetnus shot. I am still looking into it.

Emily,

Vaccine preventable Hepatitis(VPH) includes Hepatitis A and B only. Hepatitis C IS NOT vaccine preventable! Trust me. Hepatitis A requires two injections, 6 months apart and provides >90% immunity after the first shot. Hepatitis B requires 3 injections over a 6 month period, each boosting immunity and resulting in approximately 90% immunity in most people. Hepatitis C IS NOT vaccine preventable!

In terms of healthcare work, dental or other, occupational exposure to blood needs to be taken seriously. The two biggest blood borne risks for healthcare workers are Hepatitis B and C. They are much more contagious than HIV. This is why healthcare workers should be vaccinated against Hepatitis B and use universal precautions such as gloves, goggles and safety needles.

In terms of immigration, Hepatitis C is pandemic throughout the world. Many countries have much higher rates than the United States, but 4 to 5 million cases in the U.S. is no laughing matter. No matter what country you move to, you are generally not going to put people at risk unless you engage in high risk behavior. I have worked in healthcare since 1989 and have not had a single occupational exposure to blood, knock on wood.

I'm going to have to call the health center where I got the hep vacines. I know I had to get the ones with three injections.

Do you know how often you have to get the Hep B vacination?

There is a vacine for C that is still being tested.
here is one of the links.
www.natap.org/2002/Nov/112102_1.htm

I worked in the ER for six years and was always in contact with blood. Especially when it was a DUI accident and the person was drunk and flapping their limbs like they were superman. One of the reasons why I got out of that field.

ok my husband is in dental school and is in an infection control class right now. Hep C is very dangerous for dentists and any medical doctor such as a surgeon who is in contact with blood all the time as dentists are. They have to wear equipment to ensure they do not come in contact with any blood. If they prick their own finger they must do the same things with a Hep C patient as they would do with an HIV patient. I meant to say it must be a blood to blood. So if the dentist pricks his finger and gets the infected patient blood in it they get Hep C. Kankers in the early stages ofter have blood. Another known fact in the medical community is in many states if you have this Hep C you can not practice for a certian amount of time. So that tells me it is pretty contangious. Now don't quote me on this but one of the Heps not sure which one when the patient is in the fever stage they are extremly contagious and by breathing one of their droplets such as from a sneeze you can get it from them. I think this is Hep B though I am not sure.

And yes I have a lot of reports from medical journals who specifically state that illegals are a growing health threat becuase they are not vacinated and in particular third world countries the Hep virus is very rampunt. This is part of the reason why it takes a while to get into the country legally. You must be up on all your vacinations. May of the articles are suggesting that if amnesty passes they must get all their vacinations before they can become legal.



My brother-in-law is from Columbia so no I am not racist. He has struggled in this country becuase many of the illegals have brought such a bad name to latinos. In fact he hates all illegals because of this. My best friend since junior high is mexican. Sounds like you are racist. Racism is a two way street and if you are always pointing the finger at others and saying they are racist then turn your finger around. Racism is in all races, color, and sexual preferences. Stop accusing everyone they are racist. This is one way we can all make the world less racist.

Its hard to consider anything you say when you blantently lied about your husbands schooling. And as far as being racist youre the one that stated Illegals are the biggest reason HEP C is being transmitted, that was youre doing. No one but you on this entire page went there but you. Im still waiting on your FACTS about that as well, but something tells me you dont have any. As a matter of fact, AIDS is more rampant than HEP C in third world countries. In the grand scheme of contagious diseases HEP C is pretty low on the radar. In 10 years over 30 million people will die from HIV. I suppose youre going to say that is the fault of illegals as well. Only cancer takes more lives than HIV, so please get your FACTS straight before spewing out the mouth about things you do not know. BTW, I read JAMA monthly and havent seen anything recently about your findings. In case you do feel like doing some real research I'll give you the website to JAMA. Do yourself a favor and get educated. And for what its worth I've been in the health care field for over 10 years.
http://jama.ama-assn.org/

if you know anything about dental and medical school you would know the first two years are the same. My husband sits nest to one dental student and one medical student for 90 percent of his classes. Third and fourth years are seperate becuase they are in clinical rotations for their specialties.

I have tons of references for illegals and Hep. Just type in illegals and Hep in any search engine and you will find tons. I thought the agreement when we signed up is we would not give links to other pages-- I could be wrong on this.

As for JAMA. My husband has been in medical research for the past 10 years and just recently changed to dental school. JAMA is kind of a joke journal. Bad editors and not a lot of peer review. In fact my husband has several publications in medical and reserch journals and he never includes JAMA on his resume becuase it is not taken serious in the research community, even though his papers have been published there. He takes other medical journals more serious. His latest research was just published in pediatic medical research. It is great.

you can also get Hep C through bathing or wading in infected water at beaches or lakes. An entire family I know got it on a vacation. They were really sick.

Fiddergal,

You are mistaking hepatitis C for Hepatitis A. If water is contaminated with fecal matter (poop)and a person gets into the water or eats shell fish from the water s/he may become infected. Hepatitis C is spread via blood to blood contact ONLY!

Ive read all the comments on this board and it seems to me that some are miscontrued, others just flat out wrong. For those of you wanting real information Ive put a link to the CDC website for Hepatitis. For the reader who said it was transmitted in the water, thats just impossible. Do you realize how small a HEP C virus strand is that actually infects people? In a large body of water that size even if it could stay viable in COLD water the chances of someone bleeding and coming in to contact with that one isolated strand are so miniscule, its more likely martians would be living on the moon.


http://www.cdc.gov/ncidod/diseases/hepatitis/c/faq.htm#1b1

www.hepcchallenge.org
www.hcvadvocate.org

I've heard Martians carry Hep C, so we better avoid the moon.