can Hep C be spread by food utensils?

i get my viral load test results on Monday, like i said. but last night i accidentally touched my plate with the serving spoon in a restaurant while eating with a new friend. i mentioned it to him, but he didn't seem to be worried and kept serving and eating. i hardly know him, so i didn't want to launch into the Hep C confession over a simple dinner.

so did i put him at risk? i ask because i read that a new study said that small amounts of the virus have been detected in saliva, so theoretically you can catch Hep C by kissing. so i wonder does this transfer to food utensils too.

[CockSparrow]

HepC is only spreed by Blood to Blood contact.
Cant get it from food or utensils its not HepA.
CS

[dharmaqueen]

thanks! i felt stupid for asking, but they say there are no stupid questions.

[Cheesegrater]

I do not think it is very likely to transmit HCV through utensils.
Of course, If you slip and slice your hand while you are spooning your roomate to death, well then...

Cheese

[Trish77]

If the roommate is being spooned to death, the Hep C transmission becomes a moot point, doesn't it.  I could go for death by spooning....that'd be a nice way to go.

[Marcia2202]

For most of us it is a difficult thing to digest, when we find out about having hep c. But please do not panic. There are a lot of very interesting sites on hep c. I personally really like a uk site called hepctrust.uk.org. It is very thorough giving a lot of detailed explanations.
I find it satisfied a lot of the initial questions I had about the illness. The more you inform yourself, the more confident you will become about this and the easier it will be to ask precise questions on this forum.

I found out I had hep c in March. My husband and I have been kissing each other for the past ten years, and that's not all we are doing.  :-) He tested negative for hep c.

4 of my 5 kids tested negative and one of my 18 year old twin girls tested positive. She might have had it since birth or may from sharing a razor, we'll probably never know.

You need to calm down. Hep c is not a death sentence and you can go on leading a normal life. You just need to take some common sense precautions. These are things one should be careful with anyways. It is transfered through blood to blood contact. Meaning Don't share IV drug utensils with anyone. Don't use the same tattoo instruments or inks. Tell your dentist, lab people, piercing parlor, etc. you have hep c, so they can be extra careful.  Don't share razors, toothbrushes, nail clippers etc. Do not have unprotected sex,  if you were bleeding or had an open sore (herpes or whatever reason) and your partner had an open sore, he could be infected. They do not advise people in a longterm monogamous relationship to use condoms, though, except when the woman is menstruating.

Hope this was of some use.

Marcia

[Marcia2202]

correction -----  hepctrust.org.uk

sorry about that

[CockSparrow]

>Tell your dentist, lab people, piercing parlor, etc. you have hep c, so they can be extra careful.  

At the risk of starting something here I have to disagree.
You don’t need to tell anyone you have HepC.
If you think about it you can have HepC for 10-20 years before you even know you have it.
Any place like Dentists, Piercing Parlors etc shouldn’t need to be extra careful with people that know they have HepC they should be extra careful with everyone.
To not do so risks transmitting not only HepC but also HIV and any other blood borne virus.

By the time we tell them we have HCV they have infected 100s, and all because they are too stupid to follow well known infection control procedures.
Its not up to us, its up to them to stop patient to patient transmission.

CS

PS I agree the UK HepC Trust is a good site

[Marcia2202]

Okay, I do agree that you do not have to tell anyone you have hep c. That is everyones personal choice.
It's just my personal way of handling this matter, as I would hate to infect anyone else.
So, I personally do prefer to tell them, as I would also like to create more awareness. All this is not really a problem here in Denmark, as they are very hygienic and have strict rules.

Marcia

[CockSparrow]

The thing is Marcia you wouldnt be infecting anyone else they would.
2nd relying on you to tell them you have a virus means they miss all those that dont know they have a virus. They would be spreading it anyway.

I understand where you are coming from though.
We probably should check that proper infection control is in place.

CS

[dharmaqueen]

"Any place like Dentists, Piercing Parlors etc shouldn’t need to be extra careful with people that know they have HepC they should be extra careful with everyone.
To not do so risks transmitting not only HepC but also HIV and any other blood borne virus."

i agree. i've been thinking about this a lot lately, and how there should be general hygienic rules in place not only in those places but... if everyone were more informed we'd know what activities are risky overall i think it'd be good. i'm such a germophobe that i naturally worry about things like sharing razors or toothbrushes anyway. now i don't feel bad for being that way (though i still caught this somehow of course). it seems my precautions have good science underneath them, despite some people having put me down for being careful.

[dharmaqueen]

thanks for the assurances. i've already made little notes to myself about what to be cautious of with people, so it can become an automatic thing. i even think about my cat scratching me or playbiting me now. so like i said, i'm naturally germophobic though now i have to worry about extra things like sharing nailclippers which i never saw as a big deal before.

i'm sorry your daughter got diagnosed though i'm glad the others are ok. i vaguely remember seeing your posts on that and feeling bad for any parents that had this situation. i think i remember you saying she is handling it well, though.

[Marcia2202]

Thanks for your kind words. I'm actually at one of the best stages in my life and I'm not going to let these dragons bring us down. I refuse to be sad and miserable, and my daughter is, too. We try to see the positive sides. Even though I am already extremely fatigued and inside most of the time. This will eventually pass.   Marcia

[dharmaqueen]

aw, that's awesome. this is how i decided to be when i had a revelation last week... but it's not so easy to walk that talk right now. take care.

[meki]

CS....

LOL --- little insider joke here...

But I tell EVERYONE I have HCV...

It makes sure they use EXTRA SPECIAL CARE with me...

I mean -- I get all the clean stuff -- stuff no one has ever used --- never will --- etc...

LOL!

Kind of an evil insiduous ploy --- but the dentists really take care of me... and so does everyone.


Kinda nice - if you ask me.

But it makes sure that they do MORE clean up after me...

So the next person won't get it --- etc. etc.


OH HEY ---- Just got back 1 year 4 month test --- Still <50 Heptimax.

No viral load.

*GRIN*

[dharmaqueen]

that's so great! maybe i should do that. and congratulations (is that what they say here?) on your no viral load. must be a wonderful feeling.

[meki]

It's up to you, most certainly.

Remember this: Some people are afraid of people who have a disease.

You have to choose that you want to be open about it --- or not.. And EITHER WAY IS ALRIGHT TO BE.

For me --- I chose to be loudmouthed about it. I figure - if enough people hear me talk about it - they will take the steps to get tested - or be more careful with blood products, etc.

I think that I give a small shouting voice to the Hepatitis World out there.

I think it's more important to put a FACE ---- real people ---- to this disease, instead of a faceless --- who cares.... Yanno?

If people who know me - know I have HCV --- it's something they will work on learning about... Or I'll tell them about.

Most folks do get that deer in the headlight look when I first tell them.

But after awhile --- after they don't see green venom and mucous coming from my mouth --- they start to relax a little --- and they realize I'm not contagious from halfway across the room.

*GRIN*