Is it safe to work around a person who has hepatitis C ?
913729
hcv is ONLY contracted via blood to blood transmission. Sex is almost NON existant.\n\nas far as working with someone with hcv, you'd be surprised to find this person is not the only one who has it!\n\nthere are many ways of getting hepatitis c....hcv is a tricky disease...even tho a regular liver panel may not show elevations in the ALT and AST levels, you could be infected! (long before the person in question even!) ever done drugs? shared utensils after someone like a cocaine straw? ever been to the dentist? had a peircing or tatoo? every had surgery of any kind prior to 1994? ever had your nails or toenails done? ever cut yourself on something someone else could of cut themselves on? how bout sharing a toothbrush or razor? \n\nhcv usually comes on very slow, it can take decades before something serious happens.\n\nthey claim hcv is a-symptomatic, but many who find they have the disease, look back and figure out that the doc, unknowingly, treated each symptom as a seperate disease, without being able to treat the cause due to simply not knowing what to treat. (these symptoms are called bi-directional diseases).\n\nif you want to be sure you don't have hcv yourself, regardless of risk factors or not, get tested for antibodies.\n\nhcv corpuscles found in bodily fluids are not transmittable.\nagain, hcv is ONLY acquired through a blood to blood transmission of some kind.\n\nnow, if you suggest to your boss to lay a person off just because he has a disease, your spelling trouble. it's discrimination...hcv is something that i grew up with and has kept me from working do to brain fog and short term memory, but this doe's not affect everyone who has hcv. \n\ni would also like to add if kids can go to school with hepatitis c like i did from the age of 8 and on, one can certainly have job security. i think you would benefit from being a little more kind and understanding as anyone can be unhealthy at any given time. the treatment for hepatitis c is very expensive (over 60 thousand dollars for a years worth of antiviral chemotherapy), so let it alone, chances are this person may need the job....
458088
Interferon is a treatment for Hep C\n\nThe combination of Ribavirin and Peg-intron "a form of Interferon" has a high success rate with Hep C.  Unfortunately a person will always test positive and will always be infectious even after a successful treatment of the above.  There is no "cure". But with a successful treatment Hep C will not harm your liver.\n\n\nSCH 503034 is in the testing stages.
847702
No! Hepatitis C is a blood borne virus; that means it is only transmitted from blood to blood. You do not get it from casual contact; that includes sharing a cigarette with someone who has hep c. \nYou should not share razors or toothbrushes with anyone; the virus can live outside the body for days and can be transmitted to others (cuts from shaving or bleeding gums). Other than blood to blood transmission, you can't catch it. \nTransmission factors are tattoos, piercings, IV drug use (even if only one time), blood transfusions before 1992, EMT's paramedics, nurses, & doctors exposure through work, pnuematic vaccination guns used by the military in the 60's & 70's, kidney dialysis, etc. \nHope this helped calm your fears.
981215
Hepatitis C can not be cured.  Talk to your doctor and keep an eye on your liver.
985951
Takes some time for liver enzymes to elevate, could be several months to years. Hep.C. is transmitted via blood. Good time to use condoms :-)
218475
Your concern for your fellow employee is very noble.It could be several things.I think you are wondering if he has a communicable disease(one you could catch)If he continues to be sick and won't help himself,you could express your concern to your human resource manager.There is only so much you can do.Good Luck
728349
Hepatitis B is a DNA virus that affects mainly the liver (hence the name- which means inflammation of the liver).\nIt is transmitted by sexual contact or be blood or blood products.Needle sharing IV drug users, medical personel coming into contact with blood etc.\nAfter a brief incubation period the infected person may get a primary viremia with flu like symptoms and jaundice..subsequently the immune system may supress and eliminate the virus ...but in a good percentage the patient becomes a chronic carrier..carriers can transmit Hep B to others and are at an increased risk for cirrhosis of the liver (an end stage liver that does not work any more due to scaring) and  hepatocellular cancer or liver cancer.\nThere are treatment options now available to treat chronic Hep B\nAlso there are medications and Immune globulins that can be given to babies born to Hep B + ve moms to prevent transmission to the baby (most transmission to the baby occures during the process of childbirth when there is contact with the mothers blood )\nThere is a very effective recombinant vaccine avaiable for protection of people who may be at increased risk ..like medical personel..family members of those with Hep.B etc. \nRead on more at the CDC website hepatitis B FAQ.\nGood luck
199560
Pegasys (Roche Laboratories) will help you, if you do not have any insurance. Go to Pegasys.com and ask. If you ask, you will receive help!! There is no reason to just lay down and die!! Hepatitis C is an awful virus: I have it myself. It also sounds as if you might be depressed; see any health professional.
79239
No. They can give you medicine to the point where you may not feel symptoms but the hepatitis will always remain in your liver.
1024269
get an explicit video of advanced liver disease and plug it in for him to watch....he should back it off to one or two a day and just enjoy having a lesser amount. he's getting a buzz and that isn't a good habit to get into....you've got your work cut out for you, it's going to be a hard sell but tell him how much you love him and that you only want to help because you care. is he getting red cheeks and nose yet?
68230
In truth, the risk of transmission to co-workers or other household members seems to be quite low, and even sexual transmission is rare. The CDC recommends the use of sexual prophylactics by anyone infected with hepatitis C or any other sexually transmissible disease, but common contact is not dangerous. While it should be kept in mind that there is no known mode of transmission for approximately 10% of cases, this should not be taken as a statement that it can be easily casually acquired. Routine precautions around blood, and avoiding the sharing of toothbrushes, razors, and other personal items should provide adequate protection.\n\n\n\nA number of agents can cause hepatitis, including infectious diseases, chemical poisons, drugs and alcohol. Hepatitis C is a contagious viral disease that leads to serious, permanent liver damage, and in many cases, death.\n IV drug users represent the largest single risk group.  Sexual contact has been clearly identified as a means of transmitting hepatitis C.  Household contact with another household member that has hepatitis C has also been strongly implicated, and this, in combination with heterosexual exposure, is believed to be responsible for approximately 13% of all infections.  Around 2% of all cases of hepatitis C are thought to be contracted through the occupational risk (needle-stick injuries, blood spills, etc) involved with the health care profession.\n\nPrisoners have enormous incidence of infection - rates reported in some California prisons exceed 80%, with certain institutions reporting nearly 100% of their prisoners infected.\n\nSome skin piercing practices, notably tattooing, body piercing, and acupuncture, have contributed significantly to the spread of HCV, particularly in less industrialized nations. Tattooing in particular poses a serious risk. Even in the presence of good sterilization, studies have suggested that the ink used in tattooing can become contaminated and transmit the virus.\n\nCocaine users have an abnormally high risk of infection due to the fact that they frequently share snorting straws, which may have small amounts of blood-carrying mucous on them. \n\nLess obvious, specialized risk factors have been identified resulting from indirect exposures to blood - including manicures, shared toothbrushes and razors, and straight razors in barber shops.\n\nIn many surveys, about a third of people who are alcoholics are also infected with the HCV virus.
934566
It depends on the severity of the condition, not necessarily the condition itself. Some people with Hepatitis C have little to no symptoms and are able to work. Others are completely debilitated and disabled. SSI and SSD will not cover drug or alcohol addiction, but any mental or physical condition that results in the person being disabled, and therefore unable to work, is covered. Some people may even receive SSI or SSD when the treatment for their given condition leads to them being disabled and unable to work, if the condition itself doesn't.\n\nI know someone suffering from Hepatitis C and unable to work that applied for SSI and SSD but was denied. She said that people afflicted with Hepatitis are usually denied their first time and have to reapply. \n\nThe Social Security Administration will be better able to answer this question for you.
684245
Very Very Unlikely.  You would have to cut the person with HIV and then immediately cut yourself with the same razor.  HIV can only live outside the human body for a few seconds to a minute so just make sure you clean things well and be careful.  You stand a bigger risk from hepatitis than HIV and even that is too remote a posibility to mention.
467445
I don't think so. You aren't allowed to have any type of permanent blood-borne disease, so I would think that hepatitis C would DQ someone. You don't want medics afraid to do thier work on the battlefield because of fear of HIV/hepC ect, and likewise you don't want to worry about that medic having those diseases either.
335634
First of all, I have no idea what you mean by "effected"\n\nSecond, this is not the place for such an answer. Each individual is different and consideration of those differences is essential. Also the nature of the problem and it's cause also have to be factored in. \n\nThis answer must come from your physician and if for some reason you do not feel comfortable with the decision, get a second opinion from another physician.\n\nA damaged or diseased liver is a serious thing and needs professional help.
1106052
Hepatitis C is transmitted mainly through exposure to blood. Sexual transmission of Hepatitis C is very uncommon.  Hepatitis C can also be transmitted through sharing Needles.  Basically if your blood comes in contact with her blood then she can get Hepatitis C.  That is why it is always best to use a condom during sex if you have any kind of disease, also the best thing to do is to tell your wife that way she can protect herself and be careful.
7289
no.  We are not even sure you can get HCV from sexual contact.  see the center for diseases web site (CDC website) which recommends no special precautions for monogomous couples with HCV.