Accidental needle ***** from Hepatitis friend

[lm111]

I just accidentally deeply scraped myself with a needle that had hepatitis blood on it from an injection. I squeezed out this area on my finger. I ran it under cold water for 10 minutes while I cleaned it and used an alcoholic pad.
What do I need to do now? Please help

[lm111]

thanks, i yes my own blood was running for 10 or more minutes while i was keeping my hand under the water. it is a pretty big scratch like a half of inch long and a couple of millimeters depth

[Marcia2202]

First I would find out what kind of hepatitis he has/had as they are different viruses. What kind of Hepatitis did / does your brother have?

If he had Hep A when he was a child, there is nothing to worry about.

[Rockerforlife]

I do think Jim you are correct...there is not too much that can be done now,other than cleaning the woond as 111 as done...it will take at least a week to show on  PCR anyway...well...i guess the only other opton right now is   to PRAY...but your odds are stll pretty low...its not like you were injecting coke or herion ...needle pricks have  a lower transmission rates..not sure of the exact %

did you see your own blood after the scratch?

[lm111]

Thanks guys! i appreciate it

[copyman]

You must be thinking about A or B. I'm almost certain that if someone get an accidental stick, like med personal, etc. they can get a globulin shot right away and there is a good chance they will not become infected. The reason I know about this is when I was getting my series of "B" immunizations the drug store gave me the globulin by mistake. If I hadn't noticed it and asked about it I would have been givin the wrong medicine !
I have never heard of anything you can do immediately with HCV exposure........except pray

[jmjm530]

As I mentioned in my earlier posts, the ER is not the place to go. Make an appointment with a gastroenterologist for next week and explain to him/her what happened. And, as GreatBird suggests, while they run a test for Hep C, you should also get tested for Hep B, A and HIV.

[lm111]

he doesn't have HIV!!

[apache1]

Got a few question up for discussion.

If this needle was a interferon needle, would interferon kill the virus on/in the needle?

Would interferon rubbed/sprayed on or in the scrape site be more effective than hot water or bleach ?

Or would it be an option to pre-dose with a shot of inf in a possible or probable accidental HCV exposure. Would this help in fending off the virus before it got a foothold ?

Not suggesting to do any of these, just some questions that popped to mind when I read your thread.

apache

[GreatBird]

If he was treated for hep as a child, it's possible that was hep B. If it resolved, then I don't believe he can't give it to her.

Still, she should have tests for hep a, b, c IMHO. Maybe HIV just to be sure.

[lm111]

Thanks to all. it happened at 8 pm last night. should i go to ER now or can i wait until monday morning and go to my doctor? i really don't want to spend 6 hours in ER if it can wait until monday.thanks

[jmjm530]

As to treating acutes, a newer study shoes that 40% of women will clear the virus naturally. Not suggesting an acute should not treat, but something to factor in.

[jmjm530]

To be picked up this early they'd probably have to run a PCR as opposed to an antibody test and even then the viral load can be intermittent early in the acute stage meaning it can go in and out of undetectible. The problem with the ER -- other than waiting a few days will make no difference -- is that they probably won't know what tests to run anyway and at best you'd get an antibody test and at worst some sort of lecture by an ignorant intern. Just think it would be much smoother sailing if she made an appointment next week with a doc who has some speciality in the area. That is what I would do if in her shoes.

[Rockerforlife]

Previous practice was to not treat acute infections to see if the person would spontaneously clear; recent studies have shown that treatment during the acute phase of genotype 1 infections has a greater than 90% success rate with half the treatment time required for chronic infections.[12]


http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hepatitis_C

[Rockerforlife]

The hepatitis C virus is usually detectable in the blood within one to three weeks after infection, and antibodies to the virus are generally detectable within 3 to 12 weeks.


http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hepatitis_C

[Rockerforlife]

Reason why i mentioned to go to hospital right away is ive read somewhere that in the very early stages of infection(acute)...if treated with drugs right aways odds are 90% that you will kill it off...maybe im over cautious be goin to the doc right away...but if it me...id be asking questions pronto

[lm111]

Thanks Jim. i appreciate everyone's support!!!

[jmjm530]

Then about a 2-3% chance of infection if the needle broke your skin. Best doctor to run and interpret the test would be a gastroenterologist or hepatologist. It's not an emergency, but personally I'd try and get seen next week so it won't weigh on your mind.

-- Jim

[lm111]

in addition, he was treated for hep only as a child and never was treated after all

[lm111]

Thanks Jim. it wasn't IV. actually i did an injection for him myself using Syringe intramuscularly for his regular monthly shots and hurted myself with his Syringe which has his blood. his is my brother and doesn't use any drugs. i'm not a drug user as well.
thanks to all

[lm111]

i don't know exactly -- he was a child like around 4-5 years old.  i hurted myself pretty hard and my blood was running for about 10 min and i was keeping under the water ( unfortunately cold water) for 10 min. in addition i was trying to squeeze that place to force to take more out, then put alcohol around that area.
thanks,

[jmjm530]

May I ask why your friend was injecting himself with a needle and how it came about that you scraped yourself with it?  Is your friend treating for Hep C? Is he an IV drug user? But in general, your risk from needle pricks is only around 2-3% but if you were using the needle IV that's another story. In fact, if you're an IV drug user the odds are that you already have HCV. As to getting tested, there is no emergency and the ER is not the place to go. Speak to your family doctor or a GI and they will run an antibody test and/or viral load test on you.

-- Jim

[GreatBird]

It can totally wait until Monday.

What *kind* of hepatitis did your friend have?

[lm111]

today i can go to ER only. can it wait until monday?

[Rockerforlife]

Get tested....see a Doctor NOW