How contagious is HepC? - MM

[Guest guest]

Hi MightysMom

Your question is difficult to answer because it all depends on under what circumstances one is exposed.

- A person cannot be infected by casual contact with your son.

There would have to be some way that your son's blood gets mixed with someone else's blood.

- It only takes one virus copy to infect someone, so Im not sure Viral Load has anything to do with ability to infect.

Here is some info for you to read - click this link:

http://www.hcvadvocate.org/hepatitis/factsheets.asp

I have lots more links on this topic:

http://health.dir./group/ /links/004___NEWLY_DIAGNOSED_____001252416175/

http://health.dir./group/ /links

I hope some of this info helps.

love

don in ks

From: mightysmom <mightysmom@...>Subject: [ ] How contagious is HepC? Date: Sunday, December 5, 2010, 9:47 PM

Hi,Now that my son is having liver trouble I'm reading alot about HepC. I want to be sure my information about how contagious it is is correct.I was told when my son was litle that I didn't need to tell the school or daycare because the risk of infection was so small. I know the American Academy of Pediatrics does not restrict participation in sports at all due to the risk of transmission being so small.I've never been comfortable not telling people,so I've always told his caregivers (school, sitters,anyone who will be with him when I'm not there). I talk to them about universal precautions. I keep gloves and bandaids everywhere! They are in all his backpacks (school, swimming), in the car, upstairs and downstairs at home. All caregivers know that they must take his backpack where ever they go (also because he has other medical conditions and the things they need for those are there

too). I've taught my son that "You don't touch anyone else's blood and you don't let anyone else touch your blood."I've always thought it took a "big" exposure to transmit HepC...like a blood transfusion or sharing needles. As I'm reading about Hep C it seems like the risks are alot bigger than I realized. I'd like to know what precautions others are taking and any suggestions for a child with Hep C. M's viral load is very high - does viral load influence how contagious Hep C is?How worried do I need to be about needle sticks when he starts treatment (after new drugs are approved)? Thanks,MM------------------------------------