Needle-Stick

[GM1987]

I was recently poked with a needle in public (no syringe was present). Assuming it had HCV, what are the chances of me acquiring it? Are there any previous incident reports concerning HCV exposure to a non-medical worker?

[pigeonca]

Yes, there are plenty of previous incident reports concerning HCV exposure to a non-medical worker.  Although I'll never really know how I got this virus, I suspect it was from shared sharp implements used at work.  I don't do anything in the medical field, but until the advent of computers in the mid-80s I did manually operate blades and razors.  OTOH, it is quite rare for a random needle-stick to cause anything.  Don't obsess, but DO get tested.

[GrandmaA]

I got my hep. C from a blood transfusion in 1977. I didn't find out about it until 1997. My immune system was so strong it was keeping the chronic condition at bay until I took Kava kava and that brought on the chronic condition. We can never tak kava kava or valerian root.