Insect Bites & Hep C - can they taste HCV?

This is out of left field - but my DH is on the Boceprevir +SOC trial, doing great, UND at week 22 - randomized to Procrit, etc. For the 10 years we have been together, I get stung by every mosquito/gnat biting insect known to man. He never did - I mean NEVER. We have been to some terrible places chock full of mosquitoes and I would be suffering and not a nibble for him. All of a sudden this week, some evil little mosquitoes have gotten inside and bitten me (as usual) and for the first time ever - him too. Wondering if they never liked the taste of his Hep C - and now that he is clearing it, does he taste better? Anyone else notice anything strange like this?

[CoWriter]

One of my areas of interest is mosquito transmission so I don't consider your question
"out of left field" but a clever observation.  I've heard many people who have Hep C say the same thing.  Mosquitos seem to avoid biting people who have Hep C.  Perhaps they don't want the infection.  

I know, first I talked about insulin resistance and now mosquito transmission, but according to a study done in 1998, mosquito transmission may be possible....


"Dr. Carroll Leevy, Professor of Medicine at the University of Medicine in New Jersey found that between 5% and 10% of mosquitoes in several areas of New Jersey were positive for the hepatitis B virus. He also found that up to 16% of the mosquitoes carried the antibody to hepatitis C. This suggests that the mosquitoes had bitten someone with hepatitis C."

Gastro & Endo News 8/98
http://www.gicare.com/pated/egn0299.htm#ouch


And according to a new UK study, mosquito transmission is "plausible"...


Investigating the endemic transmission of the hepatitis C virus.

Pybus OG, Markov PV, Wu A, Tatem AJ.
Department of Zoology, University of Oxford UK.

Abstract
The hepatitis C virus (HCV) infects at least 3% of people worldwide and is a leading global cause of liver disease. Although HCV spread epidemically during the 20th century, particularly by blood transfusion, it has clearly been present in human populations for several centuries. Here we attempt to redress the paucity of investigation into how long-term endemic transmission of HCV has been maintained. Such transmission not only represents the 'natural' route of infection but also contributes to new infections today. As a first step, we investigate the hypothesis that HCV can be mechanically transmitted by biting arthropods. Firstly, we use a combined bioinformatic and geographic approach to build a spatial database of endemic HCV infection and demonstrate that this can be used to geographically compare endemic HCV with the range distributions of potential vector species. Second, we use models from mathematical epidemiology to investigate if the parameters that describe the biting behaviour of vectors are consistent with a proposed basic reproduction number (R0) for HCV, and with the sustained transmission of the virus by mechanical transmission. Our analyses indicate that the mechanical transmission of HCV is plausible and that much further research into endemic HCV is needed.


Co

[dabink]

Mean to say that he was UND by week 8 and still is at week 22...

[carol411]

I'm on week 14 standard tx for geno 2 and was UND at week 5 and still at week 12.  I had the virus probably 30 years.  The virus never discouraged mosquitoes from biting me.  They have always tormented me causing allergic reaction and huge welts.  During tx, even though the virus is losing, the reactions are worse and add another dimension to the flu like side effects.  I've posted here about mosquitoes and no one has had similar effect to mine.  So as sorry as I am to hear your DH is having trouble with the monsters it is comforting not to be the only one any longer.

Carol

[stalion]

i believe it , i have had hep-c for 30 years, i am never bothered by any bugs. i am on tx right now, still not bothered by bugs, but i have avoided the out doors most of the summer, i try to cover up to avoid the sun, plus i am a slow responder, interesting concept!

[portann]

Interesting and I don't know.

I'm the one who the mosquitoes bite, both before and after treating. I didn't go out much during tx, so can't say about that.

My allergist said the reason I'm the one others are lucky to hike in the woods with is because I have a high level of pheromones in my blood, which attracts the buggers.

My older son must have got his pheromones from me because his pals also like to hike in the woods with him.

[Anne1717]

My poor daughter in law is a mosquito magnet and does not have HCV - maybe it is pheromones !!!!!

[CoWriter]

One of my areas of interest is mosquito transmission so I don't consider your question
"out of left field" but a clever observation.  I've heard many people who have Hep C say the same thing.  Mosquitos seem to avoid biting people who have Hep C.  Perhaps they don't want the infection.  

I know, first I talked about insulin resistance and now mosquito transmission, but according to a study done in 1998, mosquito transmission may be possible....


"Dr. Carroll Leevy, Professor of Medicine at the University of Medicine in New Jersey found that between 5% and 10% of mosquitoes in several areas of New Jersey were positive for the hepatitis B virus. He also found that up to 16% of the mosquitoes carried the antibody to hepatitis C. This suggests that the mosquitoes had bitten someone with hepatitis C."

Gastro & Endo News 8/98
http://www.gicare.com/pated/egn0299.htm#ouch


And according to a new UK study, mosquito transmission is "plausible"...


Investigating the endemic transmission of the hepatitis C virus.

Pybus OG, Markov PV, Wu A, Tatem AJ.
Department of Zoology, University of Oxford UK.

Abstract
The hepatitis C virus (HCV) infects at least 3% of people worldwide and is a leading global cause of liver disease. Although HCV spread epidemically during the 20th century, particularly by blood transfusion, it has clearly been present in human populations for several centuries. Here we attempt to redress the paucity of investigation into how long-term endemic transmission of HCV has been maintained. Such transmission not only represents the 'natural' route of infection but also contributes to new infections today. As a first step, we investigate the hypothesis that HCV can be mechanically transmitted by biting arthropods. Firstly, we use a combined bioinformatic and geographic approach to build a spatial database of endemic HCV infection and demonstrate that this can be used to geographically compare endemic HCV with the range distributions of potential vector species. Second, we use models from mathematical epidemiology to investigate if the parameters that describe the biting behaviour of vectors are consistent with a proposed basic reproduction number (R0) for HCV, and with the sustained transmission of the virus by mechanical transmission. Our analyses indicate that the mechanical transmission of HCV is plausible and that much further research into endemic HCV is needed.


Co

[Gee704]

There was a news segment about a month ago claiming mosquitos like Type O blood. I personally have not been bothered by mosquitos either before tx or while I am treating now. My blood type is A. Go figure.

[portann]

Interesting about mechanical transmission as well as blood type O!

[cindyh113]

Glad to know it is plausible for Hep C to be transmitted by mosquito's. I am tormented by the little monsters. The eat my ankles up and I hate using spray. The bites on my ankles welt up and turn blood red splotches. Bites on my arms do not.
All this talk is very interesting. I'm banking on pheromones.

[nygirl7]

Mosquitos inject SALIVA into you, not blood - therefore the chance that this could be a blood to blood infection are nil. This method of transmission has never been proven because it is extremely unlikely therefore that it could be so.

Otherwise one would have to assume that you could get HCV from kissing and other saliva type issues as well.

It's not possible no matter how many pheremones you have or have not.

[can-do-man]

Oh jeez

[meakea]

Interesting reading here...even the 'Oh jeez' by can-do.  :)

I've never been bothered much by mosquitoes and never thought much about why they weren't attracted to me.  But things have changed since I did treatment.  This is my first summer after having gone through treatment (I ended TX 9-09) and I truly noticed that this summer they flock to me and it's been quite annoying.  Coincidence or not...

[nygirl7]

Candy Man

I learned on True Blood that vampires can tell if someone has hep if they bite them so maybe the same is true of mosquitos too! Me myself I'd prefer one of the hot vampires to a mosquito but to each their own!

;)

[CoWriter]

"Mosquitos inject SALIVA into you, not blood - therefore the chance that this could be a blood to blood infection are nil."
----------

So all those people that got yellow fever from mosquito bites must be lying, huh?

Co

[CoWriter]

"There was a news segment about a month ago claiming mosquitos like Type O blood."
------------------

That's interesting.  A recent study showed that Hep C tends to become chronic more often in people who have Type O...and less aften in people who have Type B (in other words, they clear the virus on their own more often).

Co

[Susan_1a_CC]

I've never been bothered by them until this year - and I have been getting huge welts when they do bite.  Type O. O'great.

[EyesofBlue55]

I myself have type O blood but I am not bothered with them like my husband is.I dont even use spray in the summer.

Yes mosquitos inject saliva into you but they do this for a lubricant for their feeding vessel.Then they draw your blood up.Have you ever smacked one on your arm that was full of blood?The reason you get a welt is because youve broken the feeding tube.Just like a bee sting-the stinger breaks off.
         Now if  a mosquito injects saliva into you before feeding-then draws blood from you and goes to the next person and repeats the process why wouldnt that be mode for transmission??? I believe its possible.Just like malaria and yellow fever.......

[Diane12855]

Yellow fever is caused by a bacterial infection... and bacteria is in saliva too.

I have B neg. blood and mosquitoes have always seemed to enjoy my blood.

Diane

[SusieS2010]

Mosquitos inject SALIVA into you, not blood - therefore the chance that this could be a blood to blood infection are nil. This method of transmission has never been proven because it is extremely unlikely therefore that it could be so.

Otherwise one would have to assume that you could get HCV from kissing and other saliva type issues as well.

It's not possible no matter how many pheremones you have or have not.
.........................................

Excellent answer NY. I knew Dr Leevy personally as we worked on many of the same committees. Unfortunately he died this past year at a very young age. If mosquitoes could transmit HCV many more people would be infected. NJ is loaded with the little buggers in the summer and fall.

BTW, I am never bitten either.

[Aaron57]

This is a list of deadly or very nasty disease's transmitted only by a mosquito's "bite" ....

http://www.cdc.gov/ncidod/diseases/list_mosquitoborne.htm

Mosquito-transmitted viral diseases :

Dengue Fever

Malaria

Rift Valley Fever

Yellow Fever

West Nile virus

Arboviral encephalitis

Eastern equine encephalitis

Japanese encephalitis
La Crosse encephalitis
St. Louis encephalitis
Western equine encephalitis



Only injects saliva , oh ya , sure ...

[carol411]

Because mosquitoes were causing me so much misery last summer while treating I did quite a bit of research.  Most of what is available is about malaria or dengue fever.  I can't site sources right now, I'm getting ready for work.  Mosquitoes don't look at a bunch of people as a smorgasbord, they choose a target, inject the saliva, and drink their fill.  They then go and digest the meal.  When they are hungry again it is because they have digested all they ate.  Hep C does not live in mosquitoes.  I'll read the things Cowriter sited, but I just don't believe mosquitoes can transmit Hep C.

[GFRY]

if HCV can be transmitted by mosquito bite that would be a tragedy in my country , it's already endemic in here

[R Glass]

I guess the mosquitoes here in South Louisiana has evolved due to all the Cajun Blood. They have the “Laissez le Bon temp rouler” attitude (Cajun French for Let The Good Times Roll). Believe me, they couldn’t care less about HCV.

[CoWriter]

"Hep C does not live in mosquitoes. "

--------------------


Experimental demonstration of hepatitis C virus (HCV) in an Egyptian strain of Culex pipiens complex.

Hassan MI, Mangoud AM, Etewa S, Amin I, Morsy TA, El Hady G, El Besher ZM, Hammad K. Insect Vectors of Diseases Unit, Faculty of Science, Al Azhar University, Nasr City, Egypt.

Reverse transcriptase (RT) polymerase chain reaction (PCR) was used to detect hepatitis C Virus (HCV) RNA among heads, guts, larvae and eggs of Culex pipiens complex. The mosquitoes were trapped from homes of hepatitis C patients or among the same organs of symbiotic (normal gut bacteria) and aposymbiotic (without gut bacteria) mosquitoes fed HCV positive blood by an artificial membrane feeder. The eggs and larvae resulted from symbiotic females fed HCV positive blood was tested for HCV-RNA. Hepatitis C virus RNA was detected only in heads of symbiotic mosquitoes collected from homes of HCV positive patients at 3h and 6h after feeding. The virus was detected at 3d and 8d after being fed on HCV-RNA positive blood in guts of the same group. The virus was not detected in the eggs or larvae resulted from female mosquitoes fed on HCV-RNA positive blood. The results raise the possibility of the mechanical and/or biological transmission of HCV by Cx. pipiens, and pave the way to the ongoing study on the effect of gut bacteria of Cx. pipiens in a trial to identify an anti-HCV agent.

[orphanedhawk]

Do mosquitoes taste??? Who the heck knows? They are like alien beings who live in our midst.
However mosquitoes do prefer some people's body chemistry over others.
Perhaps changing chemistry from the meds explains his becoming savory to the little nasties.

I  do think there is a possibility of mosquito transmission however slight it may be.

[eureka254]

Somehow I'm thinking this can't get much further than pure conjecture, especially the transmission question. If someone were to actually design a clinical trial to test the theory of possible human transmission from mosquitoes, I highly doubt the trial would get many healthy volunteers regardless of whether or not they tasted good to the little bloodsuckers.

Last week it was a rash of barbershop questions.  I imagine next week we'll be dealing with insect infestation questions...