Long-Term Transmission Issues

[DoubleDose]

Someone raised the issue of transmission from sexual partners some years AFTER their relationship has ended.  I also have read studies in the Middle East, and parts of Europe where spousal HCV infection rates seemed high only after many years of marriage, something like 20 to 25 years.  One statistic that I read indicated close to 20% spousal rates for HCV on antibody testing, after 25 years of marriage.  All of this flies in the face of current literature, and wisdom from the US HepC physician community.

My worry is this:  Late transmission, or becoming HCV+ after ending relationships could be caused by latent, or non-serum HCV which has migrated from other organs to the bloodstream after many years.  Could HCV be in sexual fluids, salivary glands, etc. and then be passed from these organs to a partner's same tissues.  The virus might remain localized for years before being able to actually cross the blood barrier into the blood and liver.  Recent studies are turning up all sorts of ambiguous findings on tissue studies of family members, and also we are hearing more about 'occult HCV', with a negative antibody test, but actual virus in the body and/or bloodstream.  

I am beginning to become very concerned that the transmission routes, and length of time to 'blood involvement' with HCV may not be very clearly understood, or could more insidious than ever thought.  Remember, most research testing IS showing low levels of HCV in saliva, lymphatic system, brain, etc.  I am most concerned about the long term ramifications for family members!!! Thoughts?????

[jonihs]

The new berry breezers from Halls really helps your throat, and they taste good too. Also sucking on crushed ice helps.   Joni

[Indiana]

I think you may be worrying yourself needlessly over this Dragon. I don't believe that it's as "mysterious" as we may think.
It's a virus. It has a "life span". That life span is measured in "hours" in our bodies....not weeks or years. It MUST replicate to survive for long.
here is a snippit from an article in Hepatology on this.....

Kinetic analysis of viral turnover revealed a half-life of HCV in the order of a few hours. In the present study, minimum virus production and clearance per day was calculated to be approximately 1.8

[DoubleDose]

Thanks for the links...interesting articles, different conclusions.  I hope that the article implying immune-complex provoked neuropathies is the more valid conclusion...but I tend to fear that the cause is active HCV in the nerves and connective tissues.  I hope that I am proven wrong.  
I also tend to think that after the virus is eradicated in blood and liver, that maybe the body can slowly kill off remaining reservoirs of the virus (if they indeed exist) in other organ systems.  After all, the virus seems to really love the liver, and if it can be eradicated there, then why not throughout the rest of the body?  Lots of scary questions...few real solid answers at this point.  

I also wonder about all the 'post-tx' symptoms that people are exhibiting.  Why do they often tend to escalate AFTER successful tx?   My doc says that only about 40% to 50% of SVR's end up getting rid of the fatigue symptoms over the long haul!  That strikes me as odd.  His take is: long term antigen recognition from antibidies, still 'seeing HCV' even though it is gone (we hope).  Maybe also caused by CNS changes due to long-term interferon use.  But of course my fear is:  other sites of HCV replication...brain...connective tissue....nerves...

Time, and research will tell the story.

Best wishes!

[layla]

Hope it's ok to break in. I didn't want to use a thread up on this. I would have to say this seems somewhat dumb even to me. Has anyone experienced hoarse voice? I know it sounds bumb but I can hardly talk anymore and it's been getting worse for weeeks. I just thought I would ask if anyone here experienced it on tx or due to other HCV related issues, such as thyroid  or anything else. LL

[honey1616]

Yep,,,I'm only on week 27 and constantly clearing throat and if I talk alot,,,it starts to give out on me!  Its so annoying but my fam is probably enjoying haha  Seriously,,,I don't know what causes the throat to be so sensitive unless its just drying out maybe?

[Amerabrit]

For a while, everytime I went into a supermarket and grabbed a carriage, I wondered whose hand had been here last and had it been bleeding?  Did someone cough over this apple?   As time passes, more and more research and actual "FACTS" will become available to all of us.   If I ruled the world all adj such as: could; might or perhaps would be banned from the reports of all research studies.  I "could" get into a car accident and die on my way home tonight..  I'm really not being flip but when it comes to disease and illness specifically, I want the facts...    We each have our own way of dealing with HCV infection and I guess I've chosen mine:)

[cuteus]

I hope the answers come in future studies and post mortem exams,
I also found an article on reactive arthritis by dr.  Gabe Mirkin, he states an interesting theory (or is it?) about the tissue damage and its permanency if the infection is not erradicated.  i found it at www.drmirkin.com/joints/8517.html.   I guess anything can inflict tissue damage if allowed to linger...I did not like your dr.'s odds of 40 to 50%.  Perhaps we should dwell on getting svr and worry about other things later, I mean we knew almost anything can happen on tx.
I also think that the months of suffering with anemia and oxygen deprived tissue/organs have to inflict serious damage.  I know Procrit is expensive, but so is tx for permanent damage...drs need to intervene.

layla, I don't know if my voice changed, but I am CONSTANTLY clearing my throat and it makes it sore and tender...so it could be possible the voice cords get injured with the coughing and clearing...isn't this fun?

[DH Bill]

You could have called me horse voice

[Showboat]

Yes, my Dear.....I had the same thing during the entire 48 weeks.  I had a constant sore and "burning" throat, constantly clearing it with a gruff half cough.  I am in a singing group and had to stop singing (and because of the anemia, could not dance)anyway......I understand it is part of the sx.....I was put on Zyrteck (sp?) to help, but it caused my natural drainage in my ear/nose/throat to stop and I ended up with a bacterial infection....so monitor yourself, and listen to your body.

[cornsqueezer]

I'm only in my 5th week of tx and my throat has been sore most of the time but I haven't lost my voice.I don,t want to scare you but just be watchful, my brother-in-laws voice was hoarse for almost a year till it finally got to were he was having trouble breathing went and got dx with throat cancer.He should have went sooner to the Dr. so dont let it go to long with out having it ck out.
Be Well Debra

[cuteus]

what I would like to know is a breakdown by gender in those studies, it would make more sense to be easier for the female to become infected since menopause brings on vaginal dryness and tissue tear.  i was perusing some articles and since you are already freaked out and I am getting there, here is fuel for the fire:http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?cmd=Retrieve&db=pubmed&dopt=Abstract&list_uids=12508302&itool=iconabstr AND http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?cmd=Retrieve&db=pubmed&dopt=Abstract&list_uids=12629238
My belief is that once hcv is erradicated from the serum, the body might be able to eliminate it and expel from any other tissues.
When you get to the above site, do a search for "peripheral neuropathy without cryoglobulinemia" and you will find some pretty interesting articles of some case with cerebral disease and hcv.