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Sex and HCV

Since this is understandably such a frequent question, I am leaving up this information. Sexual...

Posted by Melissa Palmer, MD

Since this is understandably such a frequent question, I am leaving up this information.

Sexual contact, whether it is genital, oral, or anal, appears to be an extremely inefficient means of HCV transmission. In fact, many studies evaluating this route of transmission have failed to detect the presence of HCV in either the saliva, semen, or urine of HCV-infected people—except when these body fluids have been contaminated by the person's blood. However, it is important to emphasize that HCV has the potential to be transmitted through intimate contact if there are breaks in the skin or in the lining of the mouth, vagina, or anus. This may occur for a variety of reasons including the presence of active, bleeding herpes sores; an inflamed and infected prostate gland, known as prostatitis; or as a result of traumatic or rough sex, especially anal intercourse.
HCV has been detected with greater-than-average frequency among people who have a history of sexual promiscuity. While there is no exact definition for sexual promiscuity, one study published in the New England Journal of Medicine defines it as a "history of a sexually transmitted disease, sex with a prostitute, more than five sexual partners per year, or a combination of these." Of interest is that it appears to be easier for a man to transmit HCV to a woman than vice versa.
A person who is in a long-term monogamous relationship with an HCV-infected person rarely contracts this virus. Only approximately 2 percent (a range of 0 to 6 percent) of sexual partners of HCV-infected people also test positive for HCV. However, it is important to note that this statistic is based on indirect evidence only. Therefore, whether these people became infected through a sexual act or by another route is unclear. For example, people in long-standing relationships generally care for one another in times of illness or injury. During such times, HCV may be transmitted to the spouse or partner as blood-barrier precautions may not always be taken into consideration—even among the most cautious of couples.
Household Contact
Transmission of HCV among family members or other people living together may occur. This potentially can happen through the sharing of razors, toothbrushes, or any sharp instruments that carry HCV-infected blood. Therefore, it is crucial to keep all personal items, such as toothbrushes, in a separate part of the bathroom or specifically labeled. In this manner, the accidental use of a potentially HCV-infected household item will be decreased. The incidence of contracting HCV from accidental household contact in the United States is unknown. However, data from other countries indicate that it is low—approximately 4 percent.View Thread

Posted by Melissa Palmer, MD

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3 Replies | ReplyReport This| Share this:Sex and HCV Since this is understandably such a frequent question, I am leaving up this information. Sexual...

Reply: SO EXCITING THIS IS FOR ALL WHO NEEDS ORGANS

TIFF HAS NEVER NEEDED THE CURED WORD. EVEN WAY BACK WHEN I ONLY HAD 30 %. JUST ME BEING ME ... TIFF

DON'T TAKE YOUR ORGANS TO HEAVEN...HEAVEN KNOWS WE NEED THEM HERE !!

Posted by OLDTIFF47

3 Replies | Reply | Watch This Discussion Report This | Share this:SO EXCITING THIS IS FOR ALL WHO NEEDS ORGANS TIFF HAS NEVER NEEDED THE CURED WORD. EVEN WAY BACK WHEN I ONLY HAD 30 %. JUST ME BEING ME ... TIFF

Reply: LA Times: Roughly 75% of people w/Hep C are baby b...

sadly - yes i think it will - i say sadly because it often takes the death of a loved one friend relative or...

Posted by billm57

2 Replies | Reply | Watch This Discussion Report This | Share this:LA Times: Roughly 75% of people w/Hep C are baby boomers sadly - yes i think it will - i say sadly because it often takes the death of a loved one friend relative or...

Reply: LFT Results

there are many reasons for elevated enzymes - the liver is but one of many - these enzymes are not even liver...

Posted by billm57

1 Reply | Reply | Watch This Discussion Report This | Share this:LFT Results there are many reasons for elevated enzymes - the liver is but one of many - these enzymes are not even liver...

Reply: Extremely worried about transmission risks

you may be a bit ocd / borderline paranoid there guest 82 - lol j/k - first things first tho - you just assumed...

Posted by billm57

2 Replies | Reply | Watch This Discussion Report This | Share this:Extremely worried about transmission risks you may be a bit ocd / borderline paranoid there guest 82 - lol j/k - first things first tho - you just assumed...

Reply: Chronic Active Hep.-C...Pain

actually there only a few reasons one would not be a candidate for treatment - decompensated cirrhosis allergy...

Posted by billm57

3 Replies | Reply | Watch This Discussion Report This | Share this:Chronic Active Hep.-C...Pain actually there only a few reasons one would not be a candidate for treatment - decompensated cirrhosis allergy...

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Reply: General Hepatitis question

what about my future kids? if my wife is protected, will this hep be passed on to my future kids?

Posted by iam_sam

2 Replies | Reply | Watch This Discussion Report This | Share this:General Hepatitis question what about my future kids? if my wife is protected, will this hep be passed on to my future kids?

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Reply: should I get treatment?

so howd it go - has aih been positively confirned - ive been hearing this phenomenom much more lately and can...

Posted by billm57

7 Replies | Reply | Watch This Discussion Report This | Share this:should I get treatment? so howd it go - has aih been positively confirned - ive been hearing this phenomenom much more lately and can...

Hep C & Auto-Immune Hep

I was diagnoised in '05 with auto-immune hep. and just recently with hep c. Does anyone know if there is a...

Posted by millyskid

0 Replies | Reply | Watch This Discussion Report This | Share this:Hep C & Auto-Immune Hep I was diagnoised in '05 with auto-immune hep. and just recently with hep c. Does anyone know if there is a...

Reply: yarukhel

Herbal therapies have not been shown eradicate hepatitis viruses. It is rare that conventional...

Posted by Melissa Palmer, MD

3 Replies | Reply | Watch This Discussion Report This | Share this:yarukhel Herbal therapies have not been shown eradicate hepatitis viruses. It is rare that conventional...

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Reply: Eradicated Hep C Still Dangerous?

Good Morning Melissa. To answer your first question; My viral load has not been checked since treatment 12...

Posted by ritch12

Good Morning Melissa.

To answer your first question;

My viral load has not been checked since treatment 12 years ago. No follow-ups were done either (only PCR from my GP.), and when I moved to BG , I again was unaware of the importance of regular viral load assay, and had only an annual PCR test done.

I shall have to go to the capital, Sofia to get my viral load checked very soon, and to see whether peg-interferon and ribavirin therapy is available under my existing UK ex-pat insurance status...

To answer your second question;

I was offered the option to go on interferon/ribavirin therapy for 6 months or for a year. i chose the full year option, because I thought that by pursuing this course, I might have a better chance of permanently eradicating the disease.

Prior to my treatment, no-one had had inf/rib therapy in my area (North of Scotland) and I presume that in those days, not enough data had been collected by local clinicians about the effects of shorter versus longer term therapies.

For instance, I knew more about positive response rates and treatment failure rates related to genotype than my gastroenterologist/ hepatologist.

Also (as an aside) I was aware of Japanese HCV therapy studies at the time, which noted the importance of avoiding cannabis during interferon therapy..

It (cannabis) interfered with a sustained response to interferon in the liver, and thus rendered the Japanese patients in this group non-responders.

Are you aware of this research Melissa?.. I have found little reference to it anywhere since, (actually none) and if the research is valid and robust, I would think it important that potential patients are made aware of this fact.

Neither my locum GP nor my hepatologist were aware of this research and thus, could not comment.

many thanks for your advice

richard
bulgariaView Thread

Posted by ritch12

44 Replies | Reply | Watch This Discussion Report This | Share this:Eradicated Hep C Still Dangerous? Good Morning Melissa. To answer your first question; My viral load has not been checked since treatment 12...

Drug-induced hepatitis -- nodule or granuloma?

My mom is 84. Recently her liver enzymes went through the roof (one of the enyzmes was 6,600). Within a...

Posted by allieoops85

0 Replies | Reply | Watch This Discussion Report This | Share this:Drug-induced hepatitis -- nodule or granuloma? My mom is 84. Recently her liver enzymes went through the roof (one of the enyzmes was 6,600). Within a...

Reply: It's been a long time...but need to ask a ? for al...

Sleep disorders are common with HCV. Narcolepsy can be treated with Nuvigel. If you were a relapser...

Posted by Melissa Palmer, MD

3 Replies | Reply | Watch This Discussion Report This | Share this:It's been a long time...but need to ask a ? for all you experts.. Sleep disorders are common with HCV. Narcolepsy can be treated with Nuvigel. If you were a relapser...

Reply: Alinia for HCV Genotype 4

http://www.hivandhepatitis.com/2008icr/easl/docs/050608_b...

Alinia is no longer being studies

Posted by Melissa Palmer, MD

6 Replies | Reply Report This | Share this:Alinia for HCV Genotype 4 Alinia is no longer being studies

Reply: Employee has recently been diagnosed with Hepatiti...

HEPPERS AND OCD........DUH I THINK MOST OF US ARE...I AM SO ANAL ABOUT GETTING THINGS DONE... I TELL FRIENDS...

DON'T TAKE YOUR ORGANS TO HEAVEN...HEAVEN KNOWS WE NEED THEM HERE !!

Posted by OLDTIFF47

8 Replies | Reply | Watch This Discussion Report This | Share this:Employee has recently been diagnosed with Hepatitis A HEPPERS AND OCD........DUH I THINK MOST OF US ARE...I AM SO ANAL ABOUT GETTING THINGS DONE... I TELL FRIENDS...

Dr. Palmer quoted in the NY Times on New Data pres...

http://www.nytimes.com/2012/04/20/health/drug-collaborati...

Information on many new all oral combinations of drugs for the treatment and cure of HCV was...

Posted by Melissa Palmer, MD

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0 Replies | ReplyReport This| Share this:Dr. Palmer quoted in the NY Times on New Data presented on hepatitis in Barcelona Information on many new all oral combinations of drugs for the treatment and cure of HCV was...

Reply: Going to capitol hill

yes - i agree - many thanks

Posted by billm57

1 Reply | Reply | Watch This Discussion Report This | Share this:Going to capitol hill yes - i agree - many thanks

Reply: Hep C - 3 Cocktail TX with Incivek

what did dr recommend

Posted by billm57

1 Reply | Reply | Watch This Discussion Report This | Share this:Hep C - 3 Cocktail TX with Incivek what did dr recommend

Reply: Hep C I'm Still Here!!

as long as the rash remains localized its ok - if it spreads to cover large areas - it could be a reason to...

Posted by billm57

2 Replies | Reply | Watch This Discussion Report This | Share this:Hep C I'm Still Here!! as long as the rash remains localized its ok - if it spreads to cover large areas - it could be a reason to...

Reply: Scared to death - please help a worried mother

even if the blood was fresh and infected with hcv swallowing blood is not a viable transmission route - stomach...

Posted by billm57

3 Replies | Reply | Watch This Discussion Report This | Share this:Scared to death - please help a worried mother even if the blood was fresh and infected with hcv swallowing blood is not a viable transmission route - stomach...

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Reply: hep c with low viral load

always get copies of your lab work

Posted by billm57

2 Replies | Reply | Watch This Discussion Report This | Share this:hep c with low viral load always get copies of your lab work

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Reply: Questions for Dr. Palmer

from what i gather incivek is much harder as far as side effects and has a higher drop out rate

Posted by billm57

6 Replies | Reply | Watch This Discussion Report This | Share this:Questions for Dr. Palmer from what i gather incivek is much harder as far as side effects and has a higher drop out rate

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Reply: Always TIRED

a grand a week is outrageous - the last time i treated - 2009 - 2010 - my out of pocket expense was around $90...

Posted by billm57

8 Replies | Reply | Watch This Discussion Report This | Share this:Always TIRED a grand a week is outrageous - the last time i treated - 2009 - 2010 - my out of pocket expense was around $90...

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Reply: Hepatitis C antibodies: no virus

also retesting in the near future is a good idea

Posted by billm57

5 Replies | Reply | Watch This Discussion Report This | Share this:Hepatitis C antibodies: no virus also retesting in the near future is a good idea

Reply: New Diagnosis...Please help

The treatment for AIH depends on your liver biopsy results as well as your blood tests. Medications...

Posted by Melissa Palmer, MD

2 Replies | Reply | Watch This Discussion Report This | Share this:New Diagnosis...Please help The treatment for AIH depends on your liver biopsy results as well as your blood tests. Medications...

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Reply: Hep C and alcohol abuse

yep - alcohol causes fat to accumulate in the liver - this not only lends and leads to cirrhosis and liver...

Posted by billm57

4 Replies | Reply | Watch This Discussion Report This | Share this:Hep C and alcohol abuse yep - alcohol causes fat to accumulate in the liver - this not only lends and leads to cirrhosis and liver...

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Reply: Is Relapse after one year of SVR curable in Hepati...

believe the new testing procedures are much more sensitive- less than 12 means undetectable for all practical...

Posted by billm57

2 Replies | Reply | Watch This Discussion Report This | Share this:Is Relapse after one year of SVR curable in Hepatitis C Genotype 4 believe the new testing procedures are much more sensitive- less than 12 means undetectable for all practical...

Reply: Hep C scared

Hi Daniel! I have hep c for probably 15 yrs or so and have lived a completely normal life, got married,...

Posted by RRichard2005

1 Reply | Reply | Watch This Discussion Report This | Share this:Hep C scared Hi Daniel! I have hep c for probably 15 yrs or so and have lived a completely normal life, got married,...

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Reply: Worried about my baby :(

Hi doxie, I think Dr. Palmer gave you an excellent answer - if you are still concerned, ask for...

Posted by Haylen_WebMD_Staff

3 Replies | Reply | Watch This Discussion Report This | Share this:Worried about my baby :( Hi doxie, I think Dr. Palmer gave you an excellent answer - if you are still concerned, ask for...

Reply: PBC

Thank you Stan

Posted by Kazakhstan2004

7 Replies | Reply | Watch This Discussion Report This | Share this:PBC Thank you Stan

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Sex and HCV

Since this is understandably such a frequent question, I am leaving up this information. Sexual contact, whether it is genital, oral, or ... More

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