HCV

[silviyaa]

Hello,
I know there is a research showing that hepatitis C could live in dried blood for up to 4 days. My question is can you catch it from dried blood on clothes if you touch this dried blood (approximately 2 days dried) with an open wound on your hand?
Should I worry about this?

[spectda]

You don't get HCV from touching the blood, you would have to touch the blood against an open bleeding wound on your body and it would still be unlikely for you to get it this way. I would say if there was dried blood on clothes that you touched, the chances of your being infected are close to zero percent. i wouldn't worry about it.
- Dave

[tareca]

he viruses that cause hepatitis can live outside the body and be infectious for certain periods of time. A good rule of thumb is that wet material is infectious and dried material is much less infectious, Hepatitis c,  can survive up to 16 hr outside of the body in room temperature.
The chances of Hep C transmission after two days is not very good, but you should discuss this with your doctor if possible,