Just curious

While on treatment or after should we throw away all personal items such as tooth brushes and so forth. Is it possible to reinfect ourselves with our own personal items? Is that a dump question?

[cheesenrice]

they say theres no dumb questions - only dumb answers - lol - theres only a limited time frame that personal items are infectious - to be absolutely safe i got new ones - its not like theyre expensive items - i kept the nail clippers because i dont use them that often and any blood on them would dry long before next use

[lynda607]

There is also a time frame in which you become UND and don't know exactly the day and time it happens and continue to use the same personal items that may or may not have viremia on them yet still remain UND.  Why not just replace your toothbrush when the bristles go bad and the razors get dull unless you just feel more comfortable replacing them more often due to re-exposure, however, that concept is far-fetched.

If personal item replacement was necessary it would be listed on all the prescribing guidelines for interferon, ribavirin and PI's.  It is not.

[spectda]

I agree with the comments above and the chance of reinfecting is slim if your gums are not bleeding. At the same time, why take a chance, theses items are cheap.

I bought the 4 packs of toothbrushes and disposable razors and changed often even after und because you don't know if you have a low undetectable level. If that's obsessive or unnecessary so be it if it gives you peace of mind. This was the least of my worries during tx.
best of luck,
Dave

[spectda]

http://www.cdc.gov/hepatitis/C/cFAQ.htm
"How long does the Hepatitis C virus survive outside the body?
The Hepatitis C virus can survive outside the body at room temperature, on environmental surfaces, for at least 16 hours but no longer than 4 days."

http://www.hivandhepatitis.com/2010_conference/croi/docs/0223_2010_b.html
"Hepatitis C Virus Can Survive in Syringes Up to 2 Months under Favorable Conditions"

[cheesenrice]

you cant reinfect yourself while on treatment - this is but one reason why its not in prescribing info

[mikesimon]

Well, that might not be 100% true.
It has been reported in a coinfected HIV/HCV patient - HCV reinfection during treatment, that is.

"...Treatment with PEG-IFN-alpha 2a, 180 ug/week and ribavirin 1000 mg/day was started, and lopinavir/r/3TC/tenofovir was continued. HCV RNA was cleared after 12 weeks and AST levels normalised. At month 13, still on PEG-IFN/ribavirin therapy, AST levels increased and HCV RNA became detectable. Genotyping showed HCV genotype-2. The patient admitted he had participated in one more ‘fist-@%* king’ party at month 11 in Berlin. The patient denied IVDU at any time.

The letter reports that this is the first case of reinfection during HCV treatment, and that PEG-IFN and ribavirin did not prevent infection with HCV.

COMMENT

There are a number of comments to this study that are worth making in addition to the conclusions of the authors.

Firstly, there was a good response to PegIFN and RBV despite HIV co-infection and genotype-1 infection

Secondly, re-infection was the most likely cause of the second surge of HCV viraemia (different genotype) and that pegIFN did not protect against this, reflecting the patient’s susceptibility to HCV infection probably related to HIV induced immune suppression."

From:

Hepatitis coinfection

Published: May 2005.
Sexual HCV reinfection of HIV-positive gay man while receiving PEG-interferon plus ribavirin

http://i-base.info/htb/7342