Understanding Testing of HCV

[worriesss123]

Hello,

I want to share my personal experience.

13 weeks ago I had protected vaginal sex and unprotected oral sex (she give me ********) with a sex worker of unknown status. My HIV test is negative at week 12 with combo test. But what makes me worry is the HCV, and I did have one HCV test on week 10 after the exposure. The test said:

- Anti-HCV Technique M.E.I.A AxSMY, S/Co = 0.06, Negative.

I have two question:

- Do the exposure I described above (protected vaginal sex and unprotected oral sex) put me at any risk of getting HCV ?

- Do I need further testing for HCV?

Thank you

[worriesss123]

Thank you HectorSF for your comment.

You said no need further testing.

Is it because my risk is too low to be tested? or my MEIA test at week 10 is conclusive?

Thank you

[worriesss123]

Thank you Nan535,
As far as I know there is no visible blood contact.

[HectorSF]

- Do the exposure I described above (protected vaginal sex and unprotected oral sex) put me at any risk of getting HCV ?
No.

- Do I need further testing for HCV?
No.

"Sexual Transmission of Hepatitis C" - HCV Advocate
HCSP • VERSION 5 • April 2014
www.hcvadvocate.org

How is HCV Spread?

"HCV is a blood-borne disease, that is, it is transmitted by Blood-To-Blood contact. Any activity that lets one person’s blood or body fluids come into contact with another person’s blood or mucous membranes can potentially transmit HCV. However, some activities are much more likely than others to spread the virus. IV drug use practices being the most efficient way to spread the virus."

Sex and HCV

"We know that blood-borne viruses can be transmitted through certain types of sexual activity. HCV has rarely been detected in semen and vaginal fluids. Most studies suggest that the virus is not often
found in these body fluids, or that it is present in very small amounts and that the virus particles may be non-infectious."

"A recently published study “Sexual Transmission of HCV Among Monogamous Heterosexual Couples:The HCV Partners Study,”confirmed that sexual transmission is extremely rare among long-term monogamous couples:

“Sexual transmission of HCV among monogamous heterosexual couples is an extremely infrequent event. The maximum prevalence of HCV infection among sexual partners of persons with chronic HCV infection was
only 1.2%, and the maximum incidence of HCV transmission by sex was 0.07% per year or ~1 per 190,000 sexual contacts.”

"Among people in so-called “high risk” groups (gay men, HIV positive, prostitutes, people with multiple sex partners, people seen at STD clinics), sexual transmission of HCV appears to be more common. The fact that people with more sex partners and other sexual risk factors have higher rates of HCV indicates that the disease can be sexually transmitted. On the other hand, if sexual transmission of HCV were common, we would expect to see many more new cases of the disease among people whose partners are HCV positive."

"There are no known cases of HCV being transmitted through oral sex on a man (fellatio) or a woman (cunnilingus)."

Safer Sex

"Some people feel more secure knowing that they are doing everything they can to prevent sexual transmission of HCV. Safer sex practices can also help prevent the spread of hepatitis A and B, HIV, and other STDs."

Hector

[nan535]

Unless you had blood to blood contact which is how HCV is transmitted, you have very minimal if no risk of contracting HCV from this sexual encounter.  No further testing is needed unless it is for your own peace of mind.

I have been in a monogamous intimate relationship with my husband for 40+ years with no particular methods of protection used to protect me from getting the Hep C virus  for most of those years (since we didn't know he acquired the virus in 1979 from a blood transfusion).  I am negative for the virus. As I said it requires blood to blood contact. The encounter you described does not sound like that happened.

I would suggest you not have unprotected sex going forward. But I think you know that.

Nan