Hep C antibodies

[fooledagain]

My wife is one of the 5% of the population that has come into contact with the HCV and was strong or lucky enough to fight it off. Has there been studies into whether or not you can get a transfusion from someone with the antibodies and you blood adapts the same whatever and starts to eradicate the virus? Or develope a serum from said same?

Scott
Geno1A, Stage 2, Grade 1
Some fibrosis, Viral load below 1 million

[Proactive]

"However, if the word "ribavirin" was uttered, and one flinched, then assumptions could be made."
(LOL)  I believe even "Jason Bourne" would at least show a blip in heart rate....

[jmjm530]

Both would most probably show antibodies and both would be virus negative. So, in that sense, one could not be differentiated from the other. However, if the word "ribavirin" was uttered, and one flinched, then assumptions could be made.

-- Jim

[Proactive]

Here is a quick question along the same lines....Patient A clears the hcv on their own and patient B clears the virus via tx---svr. Both patients go in for a liver/hep panel...question, would their results be similar? Could one be differentiated from the other?

[mremeet]

Even people who have cleared HCV naturally once can be acutely and chronically reinfected again should they be re-exposed. There is no complete immunity to hepatitis C, and there is no vaccination against all its various forms (yet anyway). However, I've read that there can be a form of "partial immunity" against HCV. If you have HCV antibodies in your bloodstream, it's believed by some that those antibodies can strongly minimize the risk of that person being reinfected with the same genotype again (although again, not guaranteeing immunity). It's also believed that even if the antibodies are of another genotype than that of an infectious HCV antigen, it still makes it likely the body's immune system will successfully trounce the virus before it gets a foothold (barring a massive infection like a multi-unit transfusion of infected blood). Statistical data seems to bear this out with IV drug users that have cleared naturally or have been successfully treated and achieved SVR status. Those users who persist in IV drug use after clearing the virus are much less likely to become reinfected than other IV drug users that have never been exposed to the virus. (although that's probably partially because they're also more careful about sharing needles after being doagnosed the first time)

But if you're looking for reasons to be more casual and less vigilant with your blood and fluids around your wife, don't be. Don't tempt fate, it ain't worth it.

[jmjm530]

Congratulations to your wife, or at least to her immune system! But to be more accurate, the number usually given is around 20%, not 5%, and I've even heard some speculate it's a lot higher than that.

As to the transfusion thing, if you're asking if she can donate blood, I believe the answer is "no" at least in this country. If you're asking if her blood can be used as some sort of cure, this is beyond my knowledge, but common sense (whatever that is) seems to suggest that if this was possible, it would have been tried. Certainly not something you want to try at home :)

-- Jim

[Alady1620]

Good question. I have no clue but I'm bumping this so maybe somebody else who knows the answer will see it.