Information on transmittal of Hep C

[xantiagirl]

My cousin had been diagnosed with hepatitis 3 I'm assuming they mean hepatitis C.
She has been in prison for 7 years and is now living with my aunt. I am in need of the correct information. My mother has been up at my aunts house for one week before she was told that my cousin had the virus. I need to know how this virus could possibly be tranmitted from her to someone else. What precautions need to be taken? I need to know how things need to be handled and what precautions my Mom needs to take while visiting my aunt while my cousin is living there.
Can she transmit the virus while preparing food, on glasses that she has drank from. If my cousin has tooth aches, headaches, or sores in her mouth are these signs of the virus.
I am pretty much clueless on this subject and am in need of any information that anyone can give me.

Thank you,

[Jakied]

Hep C is a blood borne virus, meaning it is most efficiently transmitted by blood to blood contact.  Blood from an infected person has to enter the blood stream of a noninfected person.  Therefore, the most efficient ways to transmit hep c is through blood transfusion (before 1992) organ transplant or drug use in which the 'works' are shared, needles/straws/cotton/etc.  Casual contact is not a risk factor.

Household members should not share personal items such as shavers/tootbrushes/ etc.

Sexual transmission is possible but not common.  Sexual transmission is more common female to male than male to female.  Presence of other std's make sexual transmission easier.  

[whoaisme]

Jakied is right, household members generally don't have anything to worry about. Its only blood to blood..however as Jakied mentioned sharing things like razors, toothbrushes, nailclippers and files,  and the like is not a good idea. It is important to note that the Hep C virus can live for a long time outside the body (it is not killed in the air, like the virus that causes AIDS.).so...use caution cleaning up any blood that may appear, from shaving for instance. Use a bleach product to kill the virus on a surface. Overall there should not be any worry..you can rest assured.   whoaisme

[xantiagirl]

Thank you for your comments! I am just concerned because they are not taking any precautions in the household at all. She is still doing things that I feel like they need to be careful about ( she does some of the cooking, her 5 year old daughter visits and shares everything with her.) Not to sound like a fanatic I am just concerned and needed information so that I could give them the right info.
I am a volunteer for our community and they scare the heck out of us on the hep viruses and I guess that is maybe where I am coming from.
Anyway thanks again and if anyone has any more info for me please let me know.
Thanks,
Xantiagirl

[meki]

the only precaution you need to be aware of is blood to blood transmission.

If someone is bleeding - use universal precautions --- no matter who they are.

Other than that --- HCV is not transmitted through cooking, kissing, touching, handlling - loving, hugging - No real precautions --- other than maybe sharing needles, razors or toothbrushes as a no-no.

But feel free to eat after her - hug her - hold hands, sit next to her on the couch --- and all of those kinds of things...

HCV has to be transmitted and passed through blood products...

And they aren't sure about menstrual blood --- let's just say this:

I've been infected 10+ years.

Gave birth to a daughter - had sex in every imaginable way on every imaginable day with my hubby --- been in a car wreck where they bled all over me --- and I bled all over them --- We've had our share of accidents --- and blood everywhere...

But none of them have HCV.

OK?

So it is NOT that contagious.

Be safe --- don't drink her blood --- nor share needles with her... or do anything that would cause her blood to get into yours --- but generally --- CHILL!!!!

Meki

[meki]

And showers --- sigh -- safe... Clean out if blood gets in them -- but safe... Toilets --- safe..

Etc... Safe..

Same couch - same air - same bed - same foods - same sodas --- All Safe from HCV.