Aa
hepatitis c from papercut
Hello.I get a papercut from a 50 euro bill that i took just from the cash dispenser.Is there any risk of getting an hepatitis c infection from that?There was no visible blood on the bill but my cut bleeded a little.Should i get tested?Thanks
Hi saenny,
No, I do not think that this warrants getting tested. Hepatitis C needs to be blood-to-blood meaning that blood infected with Hepatitis C needs to get deep into your body. Papercuts can bleed a lot, but they are shallow cuts. Even if there were somehow live viral particles on the bill right on the very edge that cut you (highly doubtful), your cut had blood coming out of it, which would wash any of the Hepatitis C outside of your body, not suck it in.
In health care settings, doctors and nurses who accidentally stick themselves with a needle that has just been used on a patient that they know is Hepatitis C positive only are infected at a rate of 3% of the time - 97% of the time, nothing happens. What happened to you isn't even close to a needle stick, and you have no idea if some Hep C infected blood was even on the bill, so your odds of becoming infected are non-existent.
Money is contaminated with germs but getting a papercut from it might result in a topical bacterial infection, but that's about it. You are going to be fine and no need to get tested for Hepatitis C because of this papercut.
No, I do not think that this warrants getting tested. Hepatitis C needs to be blood-to-blood meaning that blood infected with Hepatitis C needs to get deep into your body. Papercuts can bleed a lot, but they are shallow cuts. Even if there were somehow live viral particles on the bill right on the very edge that cut you (highly doubtful), your cut had blood coming out of it, which would wash any of the Hepatitis C outside of your body, not suck it in.
In health care settings, doctors and nurses who accidentally stick themselves with a needle that has just been used on a patient that they know is Hepatitis C positive only are infected at a rate of 3% of the time - 97% of the time, nothing happens. What happened to you isn't even close to a needle stick, and you have no idea if some Hep C infected blood was even on the bill, so your odds of becoming infected are non-existent.
Money is contaminated with germs but getting a papercut from it might result in a topical bacterial infection, but that's about it. You are going to be fine and no need to get tested for Hepatitis C because of this papercut.
Have an Answer?
You are reading content posted in the Hepatitis C Community
Learn about this treatable virus.
Getting tested for this viral infection.
3 key steps to getting on treatment.
4 steps to getting on therapy.
What you need to know about Hep C drugs.
How the drugs might affect you.
These tips may up your chances of a cure.
A list of national and international resources and hotlines to help connect you to needed health and medical services.
Herpes sores blister, then burst, scab and heal.
Herpes spreads by oral, vaginal and anal sex.
STIs are the most common cause of genital sores.
Condoms are the most effective way to prevent HIV and STDs.
PrEP is used by people with high risk to prevent HIV infection.
