Can flea's transmitt hepatitis-C

[chip9155]

My dog does have flea's just recentally, I have hep-C, and my family lives in the same house.  The dog has flea's and now they are in the house and carpet. I has been a real pain to break the flea cycle, shampoo the dog with flea shampoo three times now at the groomers, had a compny come in and spray the house.  We still have flea's in the house.  MY question is can Hep=C be stansmitted to my family, they did carry the palgue and caused about 14 million deaths in europe.  So any med proff either way???

[Xenigma]

Although, they say no it can't be transmitted that way, I often wonder why you can't get HCV by a mosquito bite.  For instance...
If a bunch of us are outside at a gathering and a mosquito bites someone with HCV, then bites someone without it, to me there is a chance of a transmission....(That's just my opinion)

BUT...Living in South Florida I will tell you the best way to get rid of your fleas....(It can take up to 2 weeks)
First, go to your vet and get Advantage-or Frontline (The liquid you put on the dog, on his back between the shoulder blades.) DON'T buy the one at the grocery store or walmart-it is not strong enough. Best to do it after you bath him and he is totaly dry.  Then buy a package of vacuum cleaner bags (you will be using a new one daily)  Vacuum your house daily and throw the bag away-outside in the trash can, not in your kitchen can.
Within 2 weeks you will be flea-less.  You may also buy "Home defense" bug spray and spray outside your home. (It can also be used inside) Down here the possum, rat's, and raccoons etc...bring the fleas and in certain area's ticks.
When your infestation is clear, make sure to use the Advantage (or Frontline) each month.  Fleas will be a thing of the past.  The worst part is vacuuming daily and then throwing an almost empty bag away.  See, it's a cycle, the dog has the meds absorb into his bloodstream, the fleas bite him and get the medicine and die.  
Good luck...
enigma

[Willy50]

http://www.thebody.com/Forums/AIDS/Hepatitis/Current/Q192532.html

......."But no, HCV nor HBV is NOT spread through the bite of a flea. "
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I knew that mosquitos didn't transmit, or so I've often read.  I was less sure of fleas.  Part of the issue with both pests is that they don't readily tend to go from one person to another.  IF they have blood...a meal.... they don't tend to go back to the smorgasborg table for more.  This is the main reason they aren't considered as a transmission risk threat.
Yet another issue is that they have a means of extracting blood but it doesn't tend to inject blood into the host.

Think of it; if they could transmit we all would have HCV, HIV, etc, particularly in certain populations near fleas and mosquitos.  It just doesn't seem to be the case.

best,
Willy

[Trinity4]

Here's something else to ponder - I think it was Merrybe but not sure that said we should change toothbrushes so that we don't reinfect ourselves.  It's hard for me to wrap my head around that concept because at what point does one really know when they become UND and what are the chances of reinfecting yourself with your own toothbrush?  If that is the case then we need to buy a year's supply of toothbrushes just to be sure.  I have a Sonicare and it's about $25.00 a pop to replace the brush so I'd be broke before I ever got going!  To me it just seems like we have to draw the line in the sand somewhere and hope fleas and mesquitos and toothbrushes and whatever else doesn't pass the the virus on or reinfect.
Trinty    

[Willy50]

That is an interesting and scary thought.  It's like Geound Hog Day (the movie) every day you get up and reinfect yourself.  In actuality I'd venture that as ones viral load continued to drop the viral count on the toothbrush would slowly also become undetectable.  It's an interesting idea and maybe we should stash our toothbrushes in a cup with Lavoris, 10% chlorine bleach and carburator cleaner.  (that was a joke for any who read this)  I make sure that my razors are always rinsed and toothbrushes stored out of the bathroom.  It's also a good time to warn people; don't share dental floss.  ; )

I thought I'd round out the trio (mosquitos and fleas) and mention that I could find no case where crab lice were responsible for HCV transmission.  Life is good.  ; )

Willy

[Marcia2202]

Ewwww, who would reuse dental floss???

;-)

[meki]

Ewwwwwww Ick... on sharing the dental floss.

I replaced my soniccare brush head every 2 months... Sorry - it's expensive - but I just don't get that "CLEAN" feeling if I go any longer than that. --- and it builds up a yucky coat in the back if you don't.

My razors were disposable --- mostly always have been - so re-infection is out of the question there.

About the fleas...

I think that they have an enzyme that stops them from spreading the disease and does not allow the blood to go back into the "host". Because otherwise they would never get enough to eat ---- that one drop of blood they take --- even a miniscule amount - microscopic amount - would be like a dessert to them.  AND -- we'd all be dead.

However - about the plague... That was kind of different. That was a bacterial disease... as in the flea had it on their body --- and not ingested in their saliva --- and passed on.

Anyhow - that was just my opinion on it... Not enough coffee for talk about sex and fleas this early in the morning.

ROFLMAO!

meki

[Willy50]

Haven't you ever lived in a commune?  

: 0  Ok....I was having a little fun.

Willy

[Marcia2202]

Actually I have. Living with 5 kids, especially when they are only 7 years between the first and the last? Can you imagine living with 5 youngsters in their teens in an apartment? that's a commune, big time... Ha, ha. But the dental floss thing... no, no ... that didn't happen.

No only the youngest is left, so no more commune

Marcia

[Willy50]

"Can you imagine living with 5 youngsters in their teens in an apartment?"
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Not if any of them are my kids.  I think I would have moved to Europe, SA, or NZ.
"kids....I'm going out to buy some cigarettes..."  But Dad..... you don't smoke....?!!

Now you know why I got a vasectomy.  ; )

I hope you have finished your coffee Meki.  : P  I held off a few minutes for ya.

Willy

[meNtoby]

Dogs can also have chronic hepatitis, but thankfully not transmitable to humans nor vice versa.  Get those drops that Xenigma recommended so NONE of you will itch!!
c.

[jmjm530]

While uncommon, Hep C can occasionally be transmitted by fleas but more so in the gay flea population or other populations that engage in rough and unprotected flea sex. So while condoms aren't advised for monagamous flea sex, prudence suggests barrier protection if one can find condoms that small. Personally, I'd never have sex with a flea regardless of HCV status.

-- Jim

[jdwithhcv]

hahahahahahahahahaha!  Good one

[IAmTheWalrus]

LMAO!

Brent

[Marcia2202]

You both crack me up

[meki]

Sheesh - there goes the freaking coffee all over the monitor.

Jim you owe me a brand new monitor...

ROFLMAO!

Too freaking funny.

Oh --- yeah --- forgot - if you use good old MORTON'S Salt in your carpet --- let it sit in the carpet for up to 3 days --- it will dry out the flea eggs so that they die. Then vaccuum. Regular old table salt... Yanno --- the stuff you put on your food.

I did this a couple of times while living in California and having cats w/ fleas...

Funny - don't have fleas here in Alaska... Too cold, I guess.

Meki

[IAmTheWalrus]

Hope the coffee didn't burn your nostrils on the way to the monitor!   ;)

[copyman]

I agree that it is very unlikely transmitted by fleas. Like the other post said  Frontline from the vet will help get rid of fleas.