Can HCV live on a broken off syringe tip? If so, for how long?

[recovery75]

Can HCV live on a broken off syringe tip? If so, for how long?
I am a recovering IV drug addict with Hepatitis C( possibly HIV...will get tested soon). I recently had a relapse last weekend and injected some drugs. One 3/16" needle tip broke off the syringe and flew into the carpet. I searched and searched, but could not find it. Eventually I vacuumed the room like it had never been vacuumed before. I'm still concerned though, what if one of my roommates or a guest step on it? Could HVC (or HIV) be tranmitted this way?!!! How long should this be a concern?!!!!

[copyman]

Your question was answered many times in your previous post. We know what you meant with the typo. Although HCV can affect the brain but we are not stupid. Well I am a little :)

[stef2011]

not my forum but this might be ultra dangerous for your roomies so:
i'd definitely throw away the carpet, what is the value of a carpet vs such a damaging illness like hcv, hiv or others

i guess
hcv might survive a couple of weeks but dont know exactly,
hiv very weak so i'd say days if not hours
but hbv (it is one of the strongest) can stay there weeks/months

[Diane12855]

Actually the needle is where the virus has a good chance to live. It lives there longer than it does on open surfaces because it is protected from drying out as fast. I can't remember how long it can live there though... sorry but my tx has my brain totally fogged up. Just make sure that everybody wears their shoes and nobody sits on the floor for a couple of weeks.

I hope you don't relapse anymore. The best way to avoid that is to quit hanging around the people you got high with and find some activity to take up the time when you would normally be getting high.

Good Luck!
Diane

[recovery75]

This is a re-post, sorry I'm really freaking out about this!!!! Yesterday I wrote HVC instead of HCV